The parenting journey is littered with stages and milestones that mark the passage of time and the getting of wisdom. Some of these milestones also represent significant gateways that irrevocably empower the individual and change the family dynamic. Our little family passed through one such gateway earlier this week, the one called high school graduation.
Two days ago we celebrated the Valedictorian Day of my eldest son, Future Baseball Star. It was a day filled with school tradition, of saying farewell to youth and a clearly defined path and embracing seniority and the responsibility that comes with empowerment for making decisions about the future. A day of hope and laughter, filled with promise and belonging.
The decision of where to send your child to high school is a weighty one. In this town it is usually decided and acted on at birth at which time your child becomes a name on a waiting list. We didn’t go down that road, largely because I wanted to choose a school that would match my child’s needs and personality and to make that call I needed something more to guide me than a bunch of foetal cells. In this town, the choice of high school is a favourite dinner party conversation topic and securing a place in a good high school is a competitive business.
We chose the boys’ high school because it felt right. Not because it was close, not because there was a family connection but because it’s student body comprised boys from all over Sydney and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and nationalities. It felt right.
The traditions in which we participated on Valedictorian Day felt right.
The farewell song sung by the graduating year 12 class to the rest of the school at the Valedictorian assembly felt right. The engaging farewell speech given by the Head Prefect felt right. The announcement by the year 12 leadership of their year 11 successors and the symbolic handing over of their seats to the newly elected leaders felt right.
The farewell tunnel formed by the student body down which the boys of the graduating class marched to the beat of drums felt right. Watching the year 12 boys making their way through the tunnel whilst they embraced those teachers and mentors that impacted positively on their lives and shook the hands of the boys whose memories they wished to preserve felt right. Seeing little brother playfully punch his big graduating brother in the stomach at the start of the tunnel walk felt right.
Attending the boys’ final school chapel service at which the year 12 Head Prefect passed on a symbolic candle to a year 7 boy felt right. Certain year 12 boys each presenting to the school a symbol representing the areas of academic learning, pastoral care, community giving and co-curricular activities felt right. Hearing the year 12 boys shouting and clapping their way through their final war cry felt right. Sharing a valedictory lunch with our sons and watching them make the passing from “New Boy” to “New Old Boy” felt right.
Being forever part of the “New Boy” community and cheering on the black and white feels right. Being the mother of a high school graduate feels right. Delighting in the fact that I will have 50% less grey socks to fold and white shirts to iron feels right. Watching my child blossom and grow feels right. Handing my child the keys to controlling his destiny feels right. Supporting my son in the lead up to his final exams starting in three short weeks feels right.
Future Baseball Star reaching this milestone has created a new family dynamic. We now have a child with one foot firmly in the adult world and this is cause for celebration. Our stewardship as parents now enters a new phase and it feels right.
Congratulations to all of the boys who are part of the class of 2012, we honour your graduating achievement. It is now time for that last sprint to the final exams and to the destiny that you have worked towards for the past seventeen years, but more particularly during the last thirteen of them. You were the starting class of 2000 and reaching year 12 in 2012 is only fitting and feels right.
Good luck in the exams ahead!
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
Do you have any graduating day memories? If you have children who have graduated how did you feel about them passing that milestone? Please share.
Raising the Curtain 
First off, congratulations to you and your family. Well done you, in mentoring and raising this young man. I know tears were shed and joy was felt. I love this post. I love reading about life in your home town. Our daughters went to a high school that is actually a registered clan in Scotland. They have a bagpipe band. They have their own tartan. When they enter high school there are tartan bearers at each entrance, the freshman pass through the tartan and become a “Scottie”. At graduation they pass through the tartan again after receiving their diploma. But, as they say for the school, “Once a Scottie,always a Scottie”. Your post brought back memories of the days I watched my girls step out into the grown up world, a marvelous season of life and now you are there. Enjoy the adventure that is unfolding. DAF
Thank you DAF and how interesting to hear of your daughters’ school traditions. There is a similar school here only for boys. You can imagine the kilt jokes :).
Congratulations on reaching another family milestone as well as a personal one for your son. If it feels right, then it is. I’m pleased to hear about your happiness and joy.
All I remember when my daughter graduated highschool is bawling my eyes out. My baby was growing up. Maybe the reason I carried a Kleenex box as an accessory throughout her life was she’s an only child. The funny thing is with the small milestones my small granddaughters have celebrated, I’ve picked up that Kleenex box again. My heart swells and my eyes leak love and happiness. I suppose this part will never change.
Kleenex certainly do come in handy. I hope it doesn’t change, tears of joy are so special.
Sounds like it was a wonderful ceremony. I still have over 2 1/2 years until my first child graduates, but I suspect it will fly by quickly!
You’ll be there before you know it and I hope it feels right for you too.
A big CHEERS to you and your family in celebrating these wonderful milestones. It’s such an motional time for everyone, but happiness and joy take over to save the day. When my daughter graduated 2 years ago, I think I was just in a constant state of excitement. She struggled so much in her academic career and we finally found a place that “felt right.” I know exactly what you mean when you say that! Seeing her giving a speech, with confidence and a smile was equal to seeing her for the first time. Enjoy every moment!!!
Thanks Lisa. It was a great day. As parents we need to make the right decisions for our children so they have the confidence to fulfil thier dreams and reach their full potential.
Congratulations to you and to your son. the photos are wonderful to see and, while you write about some different traditions than at our children’s school graduation in early June, the sentiments of family pride are just the same. Good luck to him and to you, too, as your son takes his next adult steps.
Thank you. The family pride was very much on show that day. I am really enjoying this time and watching him blossom. Can boys blossom?
Congratulations to your son, and to you for raising such a good one! I love the picture with all of them in their jackets and ties, standing on the bleachers.
It’s quite a site isn’t it? And thanks, a terrific milestone!
Congratulations. What a great ceremony. Sometimes, there are no words for what your mind and heart has filtered and interpreted as right. Your love and pride shows.
Thank you Ladies, my sons do me proud.
Very cool. Congratulations to your son and family. My second graduated HS and is off to college. It has been an emotional summer celebrating and getting him ready. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks OF, big congratulations to you too. Here he still has to do the final exams and then we have to apply for university so all of that is down the track. They tend not to live on campus here either, unlike the US.
I’m looking forward to following your blog š Thank you for following mine! š
Pink.
Hi Pink, glad you left a calling card. Great to see you here. Looking forward to reading you.
Thanks so much! Look forward to reading more about you tooo! š
Pink.