Preschool Graduation

July 2nd, 2014 by ariana

Last week my little guy graduated Preschool! It was such an emotional day for everyone involved, the kids, the parents and the staff of the daycare center that really is like our second family. The only thing that kept me from melting into a puddle of tears is that my girls are still at the center, so on top of saying goodbye to Jasper’s dearest friends I didn’t also have to mourn the loss of our relationship with the center and it’s staff altogether.

But it was still of course a tearful goodbye, I’ve had the privilege of knowing many of Jasper’s classmates since they were just infants together! And how do you thank his teachers enough, teachers who I truly feel have raised him as much as we have…

He learned SO many things at school, not just how to read and write (though that is pretty amazing!) but life skills and lessons. Respect, listening, cleaning up, right down to more practical things like how to zipper, they pretty much potty trained him- and countless other things I can’t even think of.

But the greatest gift his teachers gave us as a family was the knowledge that he was surrounded during the day by people who loved him. I can’t imagine it’s every daycare center that you are friends with the staff on facebook and the teachers text you cute pictures of your kids regularly?

It was with that same love that the director and staff put together such a special graduation ceremony, complete with a surprise yearbook full of pictures of each graduate throughout their years at the center for each child to take home!

I was lucky that my parents and sister came a long to help out with the twins so I could shoot some pictures:

Each child wrote what he wanted to be when he grew up…

singing “You’ve got a friend in me!”

Getting his “diploma!”

Hugs from Ms. Jessica

Ms Sonia, who’s been with him for his whole preschool experience!

All three teachers…

It was such a special day, the perfect ending to the incredible 5 and a half year experience that has shaped so much of who Jasper is and laid the foundation of who he will become. Saying thank you doesn’t seem quite adequate, but I just have to trust that the staff knows how grateful we are for the care they have taken of our amazing boy!