Kindergarten Completion Gift

I have had 2 children go through kindgarten. They have not been in any trouble, no bad behavior. I did not buy something special for them or do anything out of the ordinary for them except for some praise. Doing good and accomplishment are their own rewards.

my daughter also is "gradutating" from Kindergarten, I am not gonna buy her anything but I was going to make her a special dinner and a make a cake for her. It might sound stupid to some mothers that we want to mark this occasion but to me my daughter didnt only survive her first real year of school but I did too! lol I would think for a gift to give him a book, or take him to the library and get him a library card to keep up on his reading!

Call me "cheap" if you want, but I've been known to get something that I knew would be useful/enjoyable for my kids and then calling it a present. I've been lucky so far - my kids are 8YO and they actually seem to enjoy getting things like pajamas, underwear, secondhand books (if your public library has a "Friends of the Library store" you can get some great gently-used kids books for garage-sale prices - our "tooth fairy" shops there ;-)), clementine tangerines, art supplies, etc., as Christmas/Easter/Valentine's Day/end-of-school-year gifts. So I guess in our house it seems that taking the time to acknowledge an event in a fun way seems to matter more to them that what the actual 'gift' is.
I'm a big fan of encouraging kids to love reading, so if I were to get a child a gift, I'd find a nice age-appropriate book about something the child loves, and write a note inside the cover saying something like "to____ from ____ , in appreciation of his hard work, good behavior, etc., in ____ grade of _____ school, June 2010"

I think your heart is in the right place. Kindergarten is a huge change for kiddos. It sounds like yours did well and it was a rewarding experience. I got a gift when I graduated from 6th grade and again when I graduated from high school. I don't recall getting anything from kindergarten, but I think it would be sweet to commemorate it in some way. I like the pottery idea. It would be something he could keep forever. Maybe just a little saucer that he could use now, and hang on the wall later? Really, my favorite "gifts" were outings when I was little. I think we did do a celebratory, yea! school's out! kind of thing each year like have a picnic in the park or something.

I don't mean to sound harsh but you guys embody all that is wrong with parenting today. It is kindergarten!!!!

I am going to ask you just for laughs think about when you were in kindergarten, was behaving a challenge, was anything a challenge? I remember being chastised by some parents at my younger son's kindergarten graduation for not having all the appropriate video and sound equipment. It is kindergarten!! I pointed out in two years my older son would be graduating from high school, that is a graduation, real diploma and all. You know, the kind employers would actually be interested in.

I will tell you what I see is the outcome from this nonsense. My oldest is now working full time at a very good job, the next starts her junior year of college carrying a 3.8. Both have ADD and haven't had meds since 4th grade. They were never praised for things the didn't earn, things that they were supposed to do anyway. They didn't like me for it when their friends were being praised for converting oxygen to carbon dioxide. Those friends can't seem to find part time jobs because their work ethic stinks. For some strange reason they expect good jobs for no work, go figure. More so on the track they are on they will graduate by the time they are 40 if at all.

My point is simple yet seems to allude most parents these days. It takes only 18 years to raise a child, is it that important that you be their friend now? See they have a very long life after childhood, a life they will spend hating you for their lack of success because their parents never taught them how to succeed.

I just completed my masters and there was one common theme with the kids I went to school with. All there parents were just as mean as I was and they love an appreciate them for it.

So I would say the best gift you can give your child for completing anything they should have done anyway is to point out where they were successful and why they were successful so they can learn to internalize success.

No biggie if you choose to ignore this, someone will have to keep my fries hot in 20 years.

I am wondering the same thing. My son also went the whole year without having to "move his clip". We aren't having a party or anything, but I would like to do something for him. I was thinking of either a special outing with him and us and not his brother and sister. I think that would be special for him. More of a celebration rather than just a gift.

A little late here, but I think my kids remember family celebrations more than most gifts, but at the moment, they want the gift, of course! A nice dinner and knowing how proud you are for his good behavior is a terrifc boost for most kids, and the memory will last a lifetime! I have always wanted to get a special plate for whom ever we are celebrating that day (birthdays, etc) but have not invested yet. Maybe he could go to the pottery place and paint one to use at these kinds of special dinners in the future? It could be a tradition for each of your children to paint thier own special plate, and use it when they have really done something that you think that they should be proud of.

M.

Sorry you got blasted too...

my two are finishing up kindergarten. i began thinking how to commemorate their accomplishments. both are top of class, one is well-behaved and a model student, the other one bites her tongue to not cry, unsuccesfully a lot of times. both are top of class.
then i remembered that even though i was a straight A student all my life my dad would give me always some pocket money every time i get an A (which was all the time). it was our special thing. money was not much but i was always excited to get it.
i can afford a whole lot more for my kids, so i asked them to think real hard what they wanted for graduation. they said all their friends have nintendo ds. hm priced it, it's an electronic thing i don't care much about but instead of negotiating to get them something else, i decided to get two pink ones. they don't know i have gotten them, instead i said you have this many days left try to be and do your best and then maybe you'll get it.
in reality, i will be doing this every year whether they were best of class or not. it's a way for me to tell them how proud i am of them no matter what.

My son had wanted to do a build a bear for a few years now. I thought they were a little ridiculously priced, but as a reward for his great job in kindergarten that became his "graduation gift". I took him to build a bear workshop and he built himself a Texas Rangers monkey, complete with outfit, cleats, glove bat and ball. He loves it and it looks great at decor in his sports themed bedroom.

Do something to celebrate summer, not to reward him for what he should do anyway.

I think praise and "good job" go a lot further than gifts. Have a special lunch to celebrate and take pictures to remember the occasion. If you must buy your child a gift - a book would be great! (A teacher/parent's point of view)