Saturday, June 13, 2009

Pomp and Circumstance?

So Fiona graduated from pre-school. I say that with a straight a face as possible — I really don't think all the pomp and circumstance is really necessary for one's impending entry into kindergarten, but at the same time it's nice that they did something to mark the passing from one institution to another.

The kids, largely bemused and (mostly) sticking to their practiced roles, weren't as interesting to watch as the parents, who, um, asserted their rights as photographers. And since everyone else was doing it, I didn't feel quite so bad about sneaking up to get an unobtrusive shot or two.

As utterly silly as I thought this was, I have to admit: I got a little choked up. Not because I thought the current event was so momentous, but because it said, "This is the first time of many." We've had Fiona close to six years... sixteen can't be all that far off.


Diploma? No, this is a horn! And a telescope! And a baseball bat!
The school (wisely, I think) made sure the real diplomas were handed directly to the parents in an envelope.

3 comments:

Carolyn Kerr said...

You're right. The 6 to 16 transition happens overnight when you're not looking.

johnsonweider said...

though some parts take longer than others... Congrats on surviving your first graduation. :) And thanks for finally adding a new blog!

Jonadab said...

Sixteen? What's the significance of sixteen? Graduations in North America generally take place after high school, which is typically completed at age eighteen, barring any setbacks (or, going the other direction, grade-skipping).

Although, many gradeschools do a "kindergarten graduation", which is very similar in principle to the preschool graduation. The kids, as you note, don't care, but it makes a lot of the mothers and grandmothers squeal in giddy delight and issue superlative exclamations centered around the word "cute". (Some of these same women, in other contexts, claim that _men_ never grow up. Just saying.)