High School Graduation: A Grieving Experience
Did you know that graduating from High School is a loss - a grieving experience?
Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.
A few examples of conflicting feelings:
"Happy" - yay no more school! "Sad" - I will miss my friends. "Excitement" - I am moving and going to college! "Fear and Pressure" - I don't want to go to college and don't know what I want to do with my life.
Some suggestions of what NOT to say to the graduate: What are you going to do with your life? Do you have a job? Did you get into the college of your choice? Any scholarships? Are you moving out of the house?
DO say: Congrats! So happy to be celebrating your graduation with you! Hope you can take a well-deserved break, you have earned it! You deserve to see your dreams come true! I am so happy for you! What an impressive achievement!
FREE GRADUATE GIFT IDEA: Let them share their thoughts and feelings with respect and dignity, without interruption, analysis, criticism, or judgment. At best, try to remember how you felt on your high school graduation day
Here is the other side of the graduation cap or I can now say "About Face."
This is my son Cade, graduating from Manitou Springs High School with Dad and Marine Staff Sergeant Hosmer at his side. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me: I am happy and excited about Cade's decision to join the Marines! He is ready to go can't get to boot camp fast enough! I am also sad to see him leave - the dinner table will not be the same and the house will feel different without him. It is time for me to step aside and support Cade in a new and unknown way. I am so proud of my son Cade! P.S. in case you are wondering...his cap broke when he threw it in the air!