Do people give gifts for middle school “graduation”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a family relationship issue, not a teen issue. Wrong forum.

+1

Title and original post very misleading.

[Anonymous]

Dinner out, celebrating at home, sure. Other people will congratulate your kid, perhaps? I gave my oldest a congratulatory card that said "Sh1t's getting real", because he had some anxiety about going to high school. We had a good laugh over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! Hopefully she agrees with all of you and won’t do it.

I’m curious why you don’t want your child to get a gift from your sibling? My kid just graduated 8th grade- there was a big ceremony on the football field, so a little different. I invited my siblings. They gave gifts, and so did grandparents. Gifts (usually money) is the norm among my child’s friends.

This is the oldest grandchild. If she gives to him, then she'll pressure everyone to give to her kids. She'll say "we're doing gifts, remember, Larlo got gifts." And she'll send out a wish list and all the gifts will be like $50. Then all the people who will give to her oldest will also give to my youngest who is in the same grade. And suddenly, when his brother got one $20 bill from one aunt, he'll have $500 worth of present, and it will feel unfair. And then it will repeat for all the younger cousins.

It's not the end of the world, but I'd rather avoid it. Like I said, it's awkward.

OP, This is a family relationship issue, not a teen issue. Wrong forum!

[Anonymous]

10:48 again - if your generous relative chooses to smother your child with gifts, that's fine. It doesn't mean you need to do the same. Most kids do not receive gifts for middle school graduation. When your child grows up, I'm sure they'll look back fondly on their kind but slightly eccentric relation. I had a wealthy great-aunt who would give lavish gifts to all the kids she invited to her birthday party. It made her happy. I remember her fondly

[Anonymous]

^ sorry, I didn't missed the reciprocal part of the arrangement! OK, not a generous relative, after all. Just be upfront and say we can't participate in such an expensive gift exchange.

[Anonymous]

Big families might be a problem for gifts. Once you give a gift, you need to do the same for every child in later years. High school seems to be the time to give a gift, as it is an actual graduation, not just changing from middle to high school.

[Anonymous]

Huh? If someone wants to give my child a gift, they can do so.

I’m confused because I don’t even understand why this is a question from the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! Hopefully she agrees with all of you and won’t do it.

I’m curious why you don’t want your child to get a gift from your sibling? My kid just graduated 8th grade- there was a big ceremony on the football field, so a little different. I invited my siblings. They gave gifts, and so did grandparents. Gifts (usually money) is the norm among my child’s friends.

This is the oldest grandchild. If she gives to him, then she'll pressure everyone to give to her kids. She'll say "we're doing gifts, remember, Larlo got gifts." And she'll send out a wish list and all the gifts will be like $50. Then all the people who will give to her oldest will also give to my youngest who is in the same grade. And suddenly, when his brother got one $20 bill from one aunt, he'll have $500 worth of present, and it will feel unfair. And then it will repeat for all the younger cousins.

It's not the end of the world, but I'd rather avoid it. Like I said, it's awkward.

It sounds like you want to head your sister off at the pass. So do so. Tell her "Looking forward to graduation for 8th grader. Glad it's not a gift giving occasion and we can just go out to dinner afterwards for the treat."

And if she asks for gifts for her kid, you don't have to follow along. You can just do a sweet card.

Anyone giving a gift should be giving it freely from their heart, not with the goal of getting something back."

[Anonymous]

No. Because they’re not graduating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is finishing middle school, and going on to high school at the same school. They have an assembly type thing, and I thought I would “celebrate” by taking him and his sibling out for ice cream or making his favorite dinner. Something like that.

But, I have a sibling who likes to give gifts, more often than I do, and sometimes that can lead to awkwardness. So, now I am wondering if this is an event at which people who like to give gifts do so. Not to your own kids but to other people’s kids that you are close to.

My grandfather dropped out after the 8th grade.

Some folks only make it that far; why can’t they have a celebration too?

[Anonymous]

no

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is finishing middle school, and going on to high school at the same school. They have an assembly type thing, and I thought I would “celebrate” by taking him and his sibling out for ice cream or making his favorite dinner. Something like that.

But, I have a sibling who likes to give gifts, more often than I do, and sometimes that can lead to awkwardness. So, now I am wondering if this is an event at which people who like to give gifts do so. Not to your own kids but to other people’s kids that you are close to.

My grandfather dropped out after the 8th grade.

Some folks only make it that far; why can’t they have a celebration too?

.when was this????

like everyone passes now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is finishing middle school, and going on to high school at the same school. They have an assembly type thing, and I thought I would “celebrate” by taking him and his sibling out for ice cream or making his favorite dinner. Something like that.

But, I have a sibling who likes to give gifts, more often than I do, and sometimes that can lead to awkwardness. So, now I am wondering if this is an event at which people who like to give gifts do so. Not to your own kids but to other people’s kids that you are close to.

My grandfather dropped out after the 8th grade.

Some folks only make it that far; why can’t they have a celebration too?

This thread was from 3 years ago. I remember it, because I had an 8th grader then. I have another now. We didn’t do anything then and won’t now. It’s not a graduation, it’s a promotion ceremony and not all schools have them.

Back when your grandfather dropped out, everyone didn’t go to school. Now we pass kids on and have mandatory attendance policies. You would be taken to court if your kid stopped attending in 8th grade. They can’t drop out of they tried. This is nothing to have a party over.

[Anonymous]

We give a $50 gift card