Bella Graduates from School?

You're probably wondering, just as I was, what the heck is a two-year-old graduating from? Yes, dear friends and family, two-year-olds graduate, too. At least at Bella’s school, they do. They celebrate a child’s year-round attendance at daycare (as if they had choice), they sing songs to praise a child’s budding musical talents, and they honor a child’s ability to play on the playground and to take a nap when naptime comes. To me, the idea was borderline lunacy. This was just an occasion to celebrate mediocrity; to commemorate circumstances of pure chance, as if going to daycare involved dedication, discipline and hard work.

Apparently, the teachers and parents at her school thought otherwise. The graduation was no less than a celebration fit for kings and queens. Just as in a real high school or college graduation, the children entered the stage in a procession and lined up one by one to receive a “diploma” for their efforts. They even wore official caps and gowns, which were so adorable that it made up for how ridiculous this celebration all seemed.  Here are some clips of the procession and songs that they sang:

Apparently, I also missed the memo where parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, even second cousins twice removed were to attend because I was the only one representing Bella. And I was the only parent who dared to attend without bearing gifts of balloons and flowers. When Bella saw all the floating balloons belonging to her classmates, and me standing in the crowd empty-handed, her face soured as she choked back tears of disappointment. “Next time I’ll get you a balloon”, I insisted.

“But I want a balloon now”, she whimpered. What’s a mother to do?

Needless to say, once the ceremony started and the children began singing, the proud Mother Hen in me emerged and I think I might have even enjoyed the celebration.

Here's Bella as she receives her diploma:

Maybe next year I’ll bring balloons.

Where's my Balloon, Mommy?

YEAH!  I graduated from pre-pre-school!