Parents address to the students

It goes by too fast.

Enjoy it.

Every parent in this room has heard this from some wizened old person and at the time we thought they were nuts. We smiled and nodded and wondered what senior home this person escaped from. They obviously need medication.

Your early years did eventually fly by. We had your first words, first step and your first visit from the tooth fairy. Inflation sure has hit the tooth fairy business. Let me tell ya. I used to get a quarter and a pack of gum. Now a day they get a down payment on a house and a shiny new bike. Another thing we learned raising you kids, is that toys are never stepped on at good times. The toy always hits the soft center part of your foot and you’re always in a hurry when it happens. Oh and it triggers homicidal thoughts in even the most sweet and patient parents among us.

Some how we all made it alive to the Kindergarten doors. Man, were we nervous. Some of you kids took off and never looked back, some of you clung to us and cried. We stood there looking at all those kids running around happy and excited and wondered did I give you enough to get though this tough place called elementary? Will you be ok with out me? Will you swear in class because I stepped on Lego last night. These questions were agonizing. So was watching you walk towards your teacher and wave goodbye. You came home that night and fell asleep watching Toy Story. That had never happened before. I guess sandbox and housekeeping stations took a lot out of you.

Elementary brought with it a whole new world for us all, homework, parent teacher interviews, home reading programs, sign this, sign that, lost my pencil case, lost my coat, Anyone know where the day planner went? You need how much for that field trip? Who called you a poop poop head? Are you a poo poo head? Well then let it go and find the day planner.
Sorry. I still have nightmares. Therapist says just a few more sessions.

We found ourselves saying things our parents used to say even though we swore we wouldn’t. Things like “you would lose your head if it wasn’t attached” “ A ride to school? When I was your age I used to walk up hill both ways in a blizzard and the classic “ Don’t make me come over there”
Soon we reached Junior High. I still have posttraumatic from it. Hormones, slamming doors, rolling eyes, zit cream, clothes with holes, pants that needed a belt and music with the base turned up so high my heart actually went in to defib. Google could have gone out of business because you guys knew it all. Some of you still do. Grades went up and down with the estrogen and test levels, and we didn’t bother bonding with your friends because the next day they would be your mortal enemy. We tried to have ”the talk” with you but you knew more than us and ended up slamming the door on our noses. You boys stopped talking and grunted a lot. Food was your main objective in life and girls your hair and makeup and cell phones made us wild.

Finally you had your mini graduation where you said goodbye to some of your friends and headed hormonal and happy towards High School.
Man your teachers earned their keep.

Thank God High School came.
You were starting to decide who you were and became someone we could relate to a little. You smiled more, laughed at our jokes and started becoming more like adults then children. You made decisions for your future, deciding what you wanted for yourself and you asked a lot of questions. Some of them we could answer because we knew, some of them we haven’t even figured out for ourselves yet.

Here we are on the steps of your last day of school and the same questions we had on your first day are there. Did we give you enough to make it through this world? Will you be ok without me? Will you take the Lego with you when you leave so I can retire the swear jar?

As we all sit here today graduates, we look back on this amazing journey and we are proud of you in this moment; your last day of childhood. Although our role as your parents will change, as we hand the reins of your life over to you, we will always be here to support you in decisions, cheer you on when your succeeding and hold you up when you make mistakes.

You’re only closing the first chapter in your life story. Peeking ahead there are so many chapters filled with great adventures, where you will fly on your own and do some amazing things.
So those little old people.

Who don’t look so old now.

They were right.

It did go by fast.

But you know what?

We did enjoy it.

Every single second.