Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really have no ideas. We are giving him a nice sized check. And his college is fully funded with our savings. We are not going to buy him a new car (1. We’re not rich and 2. His car is perfectly fine)
He is getting a trip to Orlando this summer for his graduation trip.
I just feel like there should be something to unwrap?? Do other parents give presents beyond cash for graduation?

LOL. You’re not rich. Your high schooler already has a car, a fully funded college fund, a paid trip to Orlando and a nice sized check. But you’re not rich. Do you even hear yourself?!

it is so tone deaf, even for this site

Anonymous wrote:My son is graduating. We are giving him cash.

But I have a gift bag to give him at lunch tomorrow after graduation, which includes:

custom oreo cookies that say "Congrats Grad" with his name.

A t-shirt that says Class of 2025 I'm So Done

A Christmas ornament of a boy in cap and gown with his school name and grad year on it.

A chain necklace with a compass that has been engraved with some words of encouragement that we always share with one another.

Aside from the cash and Oreos, I don't think a teenage boy would want any of this stuff! An ornament with his high school name on it?! Seriously?

Both of our kids got a new laptop from Mom and Dad.

(Plus four years of college tuition).

Get him a sweatshirt from his college, one of the nicer ones he might not buy with his own money. There's a lot of middle ground between nothing and $6k. And get him the computer parts he wants.

OP here.
Son mentioned last night that one of his friends is getting a $6900 watch for graduation. That opened up our conversation. He knows we would never buy him anything like that – nor would he want it. He wants new parts for his computer (he built his own 3 years ago or so, so it is time to upgrade the CPU and graphics card).
When I say we are not rich, it is comparison to some of his friends that are getting expensive watches or a trip to Italy.
His car is a 2013 Hyundai. My DH & I mid-tier cars are over 5 years old. We don’t own extra vehicles or additional homes and do not vacation internationally. We both work full time, kids go to public school and we never had a nanny. I don’t buy clothes from upscale boutiques and don’t get mani/pedis. Compared to many on DCUM, we do not qualify as “rich”. We don’t spend on frivolous things -allowing us to save money.
His college is a local state school, and he will be living at home, hence why our college savings that I started when he was born can cover it. He would have to take out loans if he went out of state or picked a private university.
He picked Orlando for his senior trip. That is going to be our family vacation, he just gets to bring a friend and do his own thing.
I do like the idea of custom Oreos!

$ and the trip are great gifts!
, plus don't forget all the things you are likely buying for college. He will have plenty of other things to unwrap

Anonymous wrote:I really have no ideas. We are giving him a nice sized check. And his college is fully funded with our savings. We are not going to buy him a new car (1. We’re not rich and 2. His car is perfectly fine)
He is getting a trip to Orlando this summer for his graduation trip.
I just feel like there should be something to unwrap?? Do other parents give presents beyond cash for graduation?

So give a nice Rolex knock off watch or something he can use as an adult later on.

Put the check in an envelope and wrap that. Done.

A Rolex with an engraved message on the back.

Anonymous wrote:I really have no ideas. We are giving him a nice sized check. And his college is fully funded with our savings. We are not going to buy him a new car (1. We’re not rich and 2. His car is perfectly fine)
He is getting a trip to Orlando this summer for his graduation trip.
I just feel like there should be something to unwrap?? Do other parents give presents beyond cash for graduation?

I want to be adopted.

My son is graduating. We are giving him cash.

But I have a gift bag to give him at lunch tomorrow after graduation, which includes:

custom oreo cookies that say "Congrats Grad" with his name.

A t-shirt that says Class of 2025 I'm So Done

A Christmas ornament of a boy in cap and gown with his school name and grad year on it.

A chain necklace with a compass that has been engraved with some words of encouragement that we always share with one another.

Anonymous wrote:I really have no ideas. We are giving him a nice sized check. And his college is fully funded with our savings. We are not going to buy him a new car (1. We’re not rich and 2. His car is perfectly fine)
He is getting a trip to Orlando this summer for his graduation trip.
I just feel like there should be something to unwrap?? Do other parents give presents beyond cash for graduation?

LOL. You’re not rich. Your high schooler already has a car, a fully funded college fund, a paid trip to Orlando and a nice sized check. But you’re not rich. Do you even hear yourself?!

My kids have all used their fcps laptops through high school so needed a laptop for college, so that has been our go to high school graduation gift for our kids.

This is insane. You are giving him money, college, a vacation. That is more than the majority of kids get.

IME as a high school teacher, most of my students get graduation activities (senior trip, all night grad party) paid for, get a family celebration or a grad party in the backyard, and get help picking out dorm stuff for college. On graduation day, they get flowers or a big hug. Big checks and cars and such from mom and dad are outliers, not typical gifts.

I really have no ideas. We are giving him a nice sized check. And his college is fully funded with our savings. We are not going to buy him a new car (1. We’re not rich and 2. His car is perfectly fine)
He is getting a trip to Orlando this summer for his graduation trip.
I just feel like there should be something to unwrap?? Do other parents give presents beyond cash for graduation?