Beyond Babedom

We're (way) over 40. Deal with it.

Ph. D. in Patty Cakes

Remember your college graduation? Wasn’t that  a very special day? You knew you had achieved something, right? Four years of studying, cramming (and some partying, too, no doubt.) But you had to get the grades to make it through. What about your high school graduation day? How important was that, to have your diploma in hand, proving you had what it took to finish what many of your grandparents hadn’t. Some of us even had a Junior High graduation,  because  7th and 8th grade meant changing classes and different teachers and science and maybe even foreign languages. We were going to  high school!

But did you have a kindergarten graduation? Or a pre-school one? No? Then you were robbed. I mean, getting out of pre-school is a huge achievement, right? And kindergarten? Well, think about how many of your classmates never made it because they just couldn’t pass shoelace tying or nap-taking. Never mind reading Dick and Jane.

Are you as annoyed as I am about the trend to “celebrate” such non-events? Graduation? Give me a break. Really, I want to know exactly what  is being bestowed upon kids nowadays because “graduation” infers an academic degree. Let me take that back. It doesn’t infer it, it means an academic degree, nothing less. To call passing from one grade to the next a graduation is a trivialization of true accomplishment.

This devaluing of academic achievement really means that kids have no idea what achievement really is. They are so used to being told how wonderful they are that they don’t feel they have to really accomplish anything. That’s not just me talking; there have been studies done that prove just that. When kids are told they are wonderful without ever having to do anything to deserve it, they stop trying.

Ya think maybe that has something to do with abysmal  U.S. student test scores vs. the rest of the world?

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 24th, 2009 at 3:07 AM and is filed under My Pet Peeves. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  1. I recall being young enough to notice that people over a certain age (although people over 40 when I was young looked old already!)…anyway…they would talk about how terrible things were “today” as compared to when they were young.

    If you go back to the ancient Greeks, you’ll find in their writing similar comments on their society. I conclude that things do get worse as they get better! And I never thought I’d hear myself complaining in the same way they did back in the day.

    Yes…empty, hollow celebrations of all kinds. That’s a big degenerative symptom of society. And think of the pressure some mindless folk put upon themselves to followup with an even bigger celebration for the next milestone in a kids life. By the time the wedding arrives…parents could be broke and the kids rich with the feeling of entitlement and privilege!

    Rosemary Conte

  2. RF says:

    I agree with you dammit

  3. Jackie says:

    Having four grand children and having attended four of these “Pre K and Kindergarten” graduations can not say they annoy me. Today’s children come from mostly homes where both parents have to work. They are shuffled off from “grandmothers, babysitters and nursery school” most days. Do I think it should just be parents and grandparents invited, of course. I don’t feel robbed, my Mother was able to stay home….thinking about today’s situations, these children are robbed!

  4. Joyce says:

    I’m afraid I’m not in agreement Lu. As a grandmother of 2, I do enjoy every little achievement my grandkids have, walking, talking, potty training and even preschool graduation. It’s a blessing and privilege to me to be able to attend all life events of my kids and grandkids. I know it seems nonsensical to some; but it means something to me to be there… It’s just saying “good job” now onto the next stage of your life.

  5. David says:

    People feel the need to be “special” even when they are not. Unfortunately, they pass that on to their kids, who come to believe every occasion of their life must be celebrated. The media and corporations are co-conspirators as well.

  6. Bob says:

    I agree, David. Btw, I’m having another unbirthday party tonight. You’re all invited!

  7. Rosemary says:

    I recall being young enough to notice that people over a certain age (although people over 40 when I was young looked old already!)…anyway…they would talk about how terrible things were “today” as compared to when they were young.

    If you go back to the ancient Greeks, you’ll find in their writing similar comments on their society. I conclude that things do get worse as they get better! And I never thought I’d hear myself complaining in the same way they did back in the day.

    Yes…empty, hollow celebrations of all kinds. That’s a big degenerative symptom of society. And think of the pressure some mindless folk put upon themselves to followup with an even bigger celebration for the next milestone in a kids life. By the time the wedding arrives…parents could be broke and the kids rich with the feeling of entitlement and privilege!

    Rosemary Conte

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