IsabelC Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 OK, I know this is the wrong time of the year for most boardies. And I know too that some people de-emphasize grade levels because their dc are accelerated, or just because we can :) However, this year my three are keen on having some kind of celebration to mark their (nominal) 'promotion' to grade 7, 5 and 3 respectively, so I'm wondering whether anyone has family traditions around this? The only input I've got from the kids is 'Cake! Cake! We need cake!' so it is highly likely that cake will be involved. I was thinking we might try doing some 'school photos'. And maybe a small gift of new stationery etc. That's all I have come up with so far... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Sounds to me like they really just want cake, LOL! We have a tradition of having monkey bread for breakfast on the first day of school and on the last day of school. We also do first day questionnaires, and end of the year evaluations (their feedback). Simple things, but a way of marking that we are moving on. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Queen Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 (edited) Every quarter we celebrate what we have done. Last time, I put memorabilia from our extra curricular activities out, plus projects, and crafts my kids made. The kids took turns doing a show and tell with all their stuff. You could use things like a poster of a frog's life cycle your child made, a certificate of attendance of Sunday school, a trophy from a tournament and a leotard for dance class. Maybe next time we celebrate I will make a slide show of photos of the kids doing things. My kids like to recite what they have memorized and sing songs they've learned. They like to read something they wrote. They also take turns reading something short aloud to showcase their reading skills. I presented new school books. Plus each child got a sketchbook to draw in. They liked that a lot. Have cake! Edited December 26, 2015 by Caribbean Queen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 My kids literally have no clue what grade they are. LOL We don't talk about it. BUT every September we go out for a celebratory breakfast. So in a way we do celebrate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 We have not-back-to-school ice cream and I give her a doll representing a goddess of wisdom. I used to buy them from Dancing Goddess Dolls, but her business grew too large for her so I have to make them myself now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I say cake and a fun/favorite meal. During the meal, everyone gets a chance speak about their accomplishments and goals for the next session or something along those lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Free printable certificates! Do you have other students in your area who are in the same grade? Consider throwing a party for everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 We get an Ice Cream everytime my kids move up a whole level in a main curriculum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaya Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 we celebrate every time one of the kids finishes a level too. the child who finished gets to choose from ice cream, donuts or slurpees. we do a first day and last day outing, usually to the beach. I like the idea of questionnaires and evaluations. I might incorporate that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 We don't do anything too fancy, but over dinner or something, I make a big deal out of officially conferring upon them their new ranks. They seem to like the little ceremony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 New schoolbags, personal stationary and shoes was the tradition from when my parents were school kids. Where I was from, school starts on Jan 2nd (unless weekend) so it is the start of a brand new year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perky Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I pass out her report card and her awards (usually award ribbons from Mardel or the teacher store). The award ribbons say things like "Math Whiz" and stuff like that. She gets a certificate for reading however many books she read that year from her school tub of books. Oh, and I like to have fun when I'm passing things out. She sits on the couch and I stand up in the front of the living room. I mispronounce her name a few times as I ask, "(mispronounced name), is there a (mispronounced name) here? Anyone? I have her report card. (Mispronounced name)?" She comes up and gets it, and I shake her hand. Then back to her seat for me to make another announcement for an award ribbon, and to mispronounce her name again. It's our little end of year ritual. We enjoy it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I pass out her report card and her awards (usually award ribbons from Mardel or the teacher store). The award ribbons say things like "Math Whiz" and stuff like that. She gets a certificate for reading however many books she read that year from her school tub of books. Oh, and I like to have fun when I'm passing things out. She sits on the couch and I stand up in the front of the living room. I mispronounce her name a few times as I ask, "(mispronounced name), is there a (mispronounced name) here? Anyone? I have her report card. (Mispronounced name)?" She comes up and gets it, and I shake her hand. Then back to her seat for me to make another announcement for an award ribbon, and to mispronounce her name again. It's our little end of year ritual. We enjoy it. Lol, this is hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 We don't celebrate moving up a grade; we celebrate having completed a year of good work. :-) It's a small "celebration" though--a special dinner, a fun outing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 We have a 'grade completion' celebration at the end of the school year. While each child works at her own level as needed and not at school grade levels per se, we do refer to them as being in the grade that fits their age. Just a little thing that I remember helping me feel less 'weird' when I was homeschooled. It's nice to not have to explain no-grades/mixed-grades every time someone asks at the grocery store. :laugh: That said... we generally have the grandparents over and have a little ceremony. We decorate with streamers and lay out special examples of their work to show to the grandparents. Then each child performs a couple of memory work pieces (poems, Bible chapters, etc) and we read a list of each of their accomplishments and hard work for the year (both 'schoolwork' related and not) and give them a certificate. They get applause and recognition and are pleased as punch. This year, we all went out for ice cream afterwards. Easy to plan and very well-received! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 When the kids move up a grade, I pick out a special, meaningful book for them, write out their accomplishments for the year on the blank page at the front of the book, and wrap it up as their moving up gift. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Thank you for responding :)I might use some of the ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooksandBoys Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 We haven't done grade celebrations yet, but we do a tiny celebration every time he finishes a level in a book because we school year round and just start the next book when he finishes the previous. He gets an ice cream cone and, generally, a week off of the subject. He loves it! Younger brother just recently requested schoolwork (he's 4, so it's all his choice) I think only because he wants ice cream. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3girls Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 We don't really celebrate grade advancement, but we do get hair cuts and new shoes at the beginning of the new school year. We, also, have "not back to school" day at Six Flags when the ps kids go to open house. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 We like to party on the first day the ps busses go by because we can. We should have celebrated new grades. They might have better remembered what grade they were in. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 When the girls finish up in May, we get them Blizzards at Dairy Queen. At the start of a new school year, they do an "about me" type of page and we get donuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I randomly remember sometime during the summer and tell them "Ta Da, you're promoted." We've always done year-round, so I'd "promote" in the summer when their friends all changed grades. When they finish a subject, though, they get to pick a prize from my "trinket box." They usually don't finish many subjects at the same time, we just move on in each one as they finish it. Now that my oldest is in high school I'm having to follow a traditional calendar to get semesters for her transcript. I think you should have cake. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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