My oldest is graduating from high school this year. Where has the time gone!? Needless to say it’s been a very busy few weeks not only in planning and preparing for his graduation party (which is this Sunday June 7th), but it’s also been a busy time with going to graduation parties of all our friends who have graduating seniors. Many of these kids we’ve known since they were wearing diapers and in the nursery with our son.
My oldest son’s senior picture!
It’s exciting to see my son and all his friends maturing and getting ready for the next stage in their lives. And it’s also fun to celebrate with the parents that we’ve shared so much with over the years. We’ve cried, laughed, and prayed hard. And now we’re going through this milestone of sending-our-kids-off.
In addition to partying with all the graduates, I’m also partying this week for a different reason. My ninth full length book, Hearts Made Whole, released on Tuesday, June 2, and so all week long I’ve been celebrating the occasion with giveaways galore!
Check out my “Afternoon at the Beach” giveaway where you can win a really fun set of items to take to the beach (or a lighthouse!) including a picnic basket, beach bag, beach towel, and flip flops. And a copy of my book, of course! There are second and third prizes too! So don’t miss out!
To celebrate the release of Hearts Made Whole together on this blog, I’m hosting one last giveaway this week! All you need to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below and leave a blog comment by answering this question:
What is your best piece of advice for a graduation party or for handling a graduate? (I covet all the advice I can get since I’m so green!)
P.S. My young adult book is on SALE for a limited time! Make sure to get it now for yourself or for a teen in your life! Amazon, B&N, CBD
Jody Hedlund
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I would have a blanket that friends and family could write their name and messages for your son to take with him when he goes on the next step in his journey! Congratulations to your son on his graduation! Wishing him much success and happiness!
Just shower him with love and support. Encourage him to work just as hard in the next step of his life.
I don’t have any advice to give because I am also graduating from High School this year.
Keep your grad party simple so you can enjoy it too.
Cover your graduate in prayer to keep that hedge of protection intact as he steps out into the world on his own.
Have fun!
Our son’s graduation party was very low key since that is what he wanted. He was an introvert and preferred celebrating with family and close friends. My only advice is to simply enjoy the party and your son at this time. Congrats!!
I graduated from High School last year so my advice is for the graduate. Tske time for family. You are going to have a lot of friends who all want to do different stuff with you but really, if your family isn’t invited, don’t go. I know it may seem like you’re missing out on a good time, but it will mean so much more to spend that time with your family. The summer zooms by and then you leave for college and when you’ve been stuck in a college dorm for two months without seeing your family, you’ll be glad you took the time to get these last few special memories with them.
Cover your graduate in prayer. Place him in the Lord’s hands knowing that He will complete in your son what He has begun. Have the graduation after party in your home or church. Enjoy the adventure ahead. Blessings to you and your family. 🙂
Talk to him beforehand about the importance of going around and talking to everyone who has attended the party and supported him over the years. And make sure he writes thank-you notes for the gifts he receives!
While I have never hosted a grad party, I have been to a great many, and this is what I’ve observed: so long there’s something to munch on and space to sit and visit that friend or cousin you only see once or twice a year (or even every week), it will be a success. And if the graduate is there for most of the party, it’s like icing on the cake. Simple as that. God bless!
Keep it simple.. Your son will appreciate some pictures later but he probably won’t be thinking of all the work you’ve done to make the celebration memorable. Keep it simple so you can enjoy sharing the joy of the day with family & friends…
I don’t have a child so I’ve never gone through this. But I can say from the perspective of the person who is graduating its always nice to hear that your parent is proud of you and supportive in what they want to do with their life. I would also think that it would be nice to say that if they ever need advice they can come to you. I know that sometimes I just need to hear that and I will open up to my parents whereas if its not brought up I’m less inclined to bring up questions I had for the future. It’s nice when the parent initiates the conversation because you know they really care about you and your future. And if your child’s love language is words of affirmation I can tell you for sure that this will really make their day. Whenever someone takes the time to compliment me or encourage me, I always feel extremely loved and ready to take on the world. 🙂
Congratulations, Jody! So much to celebrate. My best advice? Since my oldest is only 10, and I haven’t experienced a graduating senior, I can only think back to my own graduation 16 years ago (eek), and apparently the world has changed quite a bit since then (or so our Sunday school kids keep telling me). I guess my best advice is to hold on tight to the memories and don’t be aftaid to launch him. I think it’s Chip Ingram that says we need to point them toward Christ and then let them go. So hard to do sometimes. Have fun celebrating!!
I don’t know that I have a ton of advice, seeing that I only have a toddler (and another due in two months!). However, I do remember those days. I would tell him that it is okay if he doesn’t have everything figured out yet. Sometimes God only reveals one step at a time. I did things I never dreamed of when I was graduating high school, including spending a year in Europe teaching English. If you would have told me that then, I would have laughed in your face. Tell him to enjoy this time and simply be open to the Lord’s leading!
It would be hard for me to advise you because our daughter didn’t want a graduation party. Most parties I have gone to are usually picnics. I guess that’s because of the warmer weather.
I think that even though most graduates are feeling very excited about achieving this milestone, there is also a little fear and trepidation. Show your joy and pride but convey
to them that their home and their parents will remain there for them!!
Congratulations to the Graduate and His Parents!
Just remember that you need to stop and take a deep breath and enjoy life. Don’t let it get up unsettled.
Enjoy the moment and celebrate in a way that reflects your son’s wishes. Pray much, hug lots, praise often and tell him you love him every chance you get. (My kids will tell you that I have gone overboard with this BUT it is what I want to be remembered for. No apologies for this.)
Congrats to your son on his graduation!
My advice for hosting a grad party: make sure there’s stuff for kids to do! We’ve been to many grad parties with our preschoolers and the ones we were able to enjoy the most were ones where there was something for the kiddos to do while we talked with the graduate and his/her family! Bubbles, sandbox w/ toys, sidewalk chalk, beach balls, etc!
Congrats! I think just having enough food, planning in advance and have those cameras ready will help the day go smoother.
Ok, so I never held a graduation party… The only experience I have is from my sister’s and my graduation.
Where I live there isn’t what you call a “graduation party”, but we still had some kind of party. So my advice is to join force with the other parents. I’m not sure how you usually do it, but we had a party for all my graduate friends at one of my friend’s house. So all the friends and their parents are invited.
To keep things more simple, the best things is to do it outside. You can have a buffet.
I remember at my sister’s graduation, they had a kind of “photo booth”. If you have a family friend or someone you could ask to take pictures, it would be great. And just enjoy this time of celebration and this milestone in your son’s life 😀
Congrats, Jody, to you and your son! I’d say to cover him in prayer and remember that just as you are having mixed feelings, he may also have some fears and sadness mixed in with all the joy and excitement. Look for an opportunity to talk to him about it. Good luck with this new letting-go phase of your life!
Hi! I’m a graduate this year so I probably don’t have super great advice! 🙂 I would say that my best advice would be to have fun with him, and really listen to what he wants to do in life, and gently guide him to the life God has for him. That is the most important, to live for God. 🙂 on a side note, I can’t wait to read your book! 😀
Congratulations on your next step in life as a parent! It is exciting and frightening at the same time. Two of my three children have graduated high school. The third will graduate next year and one will be graduating college then as well. My advice for graduation party–keep it simple. This is a time you want to enjoy as well so keep it basic and fun without putting too much stress on you. As far as your graduate goes–prayer, prayer, prayer and more prayer. Keep the prayers going up every day . This is a major change for him as well and he will need those prayers for wisdom and discernment as to what he should do with his life. God bless!!
Congratulations to your entire family on your son’s graduation! Accept offers of help during the party so that YOU can enjoy your guests too.
For the graduation party – My kids would be happy with the photo booth with lots of fun props and of course lots of food.
Cover your son in prayer and if he doesn’t call you, call him. Even though they are away and trying to be independent we still have our mama hearts!
I had a son just graduate from High School (May 15) and also had a graduation party for him. My advice, don’t stress too much over the party (hard to say at the time) but it will go smoothly and turn out fine (ours did). Just enjoy it. Hope it all goes well.
Be involved with the party. Host it, or co-host with parents of other graduates. Take lots and lots of pictures, they’ll love them more in the coming years. I’d also suggest holding it outdoors if the weather permits. Love him, respect him, and “let him go.” He’s not really ready to launch quite yet, but your encouragement and support mean the world to him when he is.
I think it’s nice if the graduate addresses the announcements personally. I know it’s time consuming but it can make them more thankful when family and friends send gifts 🙂
Don’t hold on too tight. It’s time to let them test those wings and fly from the nest. I have never been the overprotective parent, but it was very difficult to take my son 300 miles, drop him off at college, and then drive away. Encourage them to follow their dreams (and to pray about their goals to make sure it is also God’s will) because they will only be “just starting out” once. Eventually, they will have bills, a job, a wife, a family and many responsibilities, so it’s important to discover who God made them to be first.
And I agree with the smaller is better graduation party idea. I know most of my sons’ friends had their own parties, so it ended up being mostly family and church family at our gathering. The slideshow of pictures from their “life” was a big hit (and a tearjerker for me).
I don’t have children and am single but just tell him to enjoy it and focus on saying hello and thanking everyone who attends the party (in addition to writing thank yous) instead of hanging out with friends he see daily. I went to a wedding a few weeks ago and the wedding party went off for almost 4 hours to take pictures and bar hop leaving all the guests at the resort munching on appetizers…
Make sure he knows how to cook before he leaves home (even if lives in a dorm for a while). Get him a simple cookbook. I use the DIning on a Dime a lot and the recipes are simple. (can be bought on the website of the same name or you can find another cookbook) Write recipes down for him that are family favorites and present it after other relatives have added their own. Teach him how to do his laundry and budget for necessities, look for deals, etc.
Be prepared to pray a lot as you let your son go to his next step in life. Be available anytime he needs to talk. Basically, you just have to trust that you’ve prepared him well for this time on his own and trust him to God. Try hard not to cling.
I’ve sent two out into the world. I know it’s hard but it’s what we’ve worked toward for 18 years.
How fun!! Congrats on your book’s release and son’s graduation! And thank you for the giveaway!!
My twin boys are only 5 months, so I don’t have any advice to share yet. Here’s to hoping it feels like a long time before they graduate!
Surround your graduate with prayer. Love and encourage them, let them know that you support them.
Keep it simple…and the one thing I did that I loved was I put my life verse on my name card in my announcement. It was a great way to share Gods word with my many lost relatives. Encourage the graduate to follow Gods leading. My parents didn’t push me to make my life’s decisions as soon as I graduated. Thankful for that!
My kids are grown and have a few kids of there own.
My oldest is 16, so sorry I have no advice to you. Just finished An Uncertain Choice and loved it!
My daughter just graduated and my advice is to put your effort on things that mean a lot to them and not worry about making it match your expectations. We invited the ones my daughter wanted, served her menu and did the decorating that was meaningful to her. I love your books.
Congratulations to all of you!! Enjoy every moment!!
Keep God as the focus of your life and rely on Him.
Encourage him to follow his dreams, not someon else’s! Tell him you will always be there for him!
Best piece of advice for a graduation party – have an open house so everyone can come! Congrats on the graduation and best wishes to your son on his future endeavors.
You have some great advice here! Ditto! I would concur especially on the praying for him! Also, don’t try to meet someone else’s standard of what the party should be like. Make it personal to him, relax, and enjoy!
My son will be graduating from High School next year….so I am loving reading these comments too!!
Congrats to your grad!!
I forgot to add: I pinned an image to Pinterest!
We are having a grad party on Saturday. This is our second. Make food ahead and freeze it. Accept help so you can visit with your guests. I didn’t get to visit much at the first party. I’m doing things different this time around. Enjoy!
Celebrate the here and now. Don’t pressure about the future. Just cherish each moment.
My parents were very supportive of my interests and passions –we’re still awkwardly working through the “your child is now an adult” phase. =) I think that’s easier if your child moves away to college. I feel like my parents still treat me like a teenager … *shrug* I don’t know if this counts as advice?
Congrats on your latest novel –looking forward to reading!
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Hi Everyone!! I’ve LOVED reading all of your wisdom and advice! Thank you all for sharing and keep it coming! 🙂
Make sure your septic system and plumbing can handle all the extra activity! My graduation party in 1991 had an issue with this!
Be excited for him but stress that no matter where he goes home is always here for him,
Prayer and encouragement to follow their dreams!
Focus on the special day – not the worry and stress involved.
Congratulations to your son on his graduation, Jody! He’s so cute. 🙂
keep things simple
Congratulations to you and to your graduate! I’ve graduated two sons from our homeschool, and for the party I think the best piece of advice is to keep it simple (as others have said) but the kind of celebration that he wants and suits his personality. Then just encourage and love as your graduate takes his next steps.