There is no way to sugarcoat this: It sucks. My son is 17 years old and a high school senior. His graduation is merely a week away and I'm still trying to figure out what insert to put into the graduation announcements that we got a week ago. After all, people can't come to the graduation, which is historically a really big deal here in Hawaii.
My son is pretty good about rolling with the punches but he has expressed disappointment in about this whole "graduating during COVID-19" — he knew it was important for his great grandmother to come and see him, graduate. So much for the best-laid plans.
Instead, his graduation looks like this: we're driving through the parking lot where he grabs the diploma, drive to another spot in the lot and he gets out, walks the stage, gets a picture, and pops back in the car. Only one parent is allowed in the car, though I wonder how many will stick to that rule. Gotta admit, after 17 years of doing everything to raise a good kid, I feel a bit cheated that I don't get to gawk proudly from the stands.
If you're like me, trying to figure out how to make this year special, here are some 2020 graduation gifts to think about along with some creative ways to celebrate this unprecedented graduation season.
2020 graduation gift ideas
Preparing for college
In all of this, it's important to remember that graduation is a stepping stone for our kids. If we do things right for our grads in this crazy time, we might raise one of the more resilient and empathetic crews in recent decades.
"It's important for us to remind new graduates that America and the world have been through terrible times before, including the Great Depression, 9/11, the Great Recession, and now COVID-19," San Francisco teacher Joseph Glatzer told Mom.com.
Glatzer goes on to remind us that while dreams and goals are important, family is foremost. "This is the time to get closer with family and friends, even if not physically in person, and work together to support each other," he said. "This is an opportunity to change the way we look at society and what is truly important."
I couldn't agree more which is why my son's nearly 102-year-old great-grandmother will likely be riding in the car with us — whether allowed by the school or not.
