I will share with you a personal experience of the power of kindergarten graduation ceremonies. I was graduating from college when I heard that there were problems with the ceremony. I was worried because I was out of the country and my father was the only one trying to organize things. What happened next was pretty amazing. One of the local priests came and decided that he was going to lead the prayers and the organization.

He gave what can only be described as a wonderful speech with a ten point program for success. I treasure those moments and have saved them on video for my own children to watch when they grow up. This gave me an insight into the process of trying to create memorable kindergarten prom dates. I have decided to come up with some tips on what are the best things you can do to ensure that you can handle this sensitive subject with the necessary diligence that your child would expect of you.

• Keep a record of all the quotes you used for the kindergarten graduation because your child may want to refer back to them when they get older or when they are just remembering the occasion. If you destroy these citations, it is highly unlikely that you will ever get them back.
• Tell the child in their own language at the kindergarten graduation what is happening and you may even want to interpret the quotes and comments that have been made. This gives them an immediate appreciation of the situation and when they get older they can go into detail.
• Invite to the kindergarten graduation people who are good communicators, especially when it comes to children. This will pay off in the long run because everyone will understand what is going on. If you invite a very boring speaker, his group will collapse, dealing damage to him and destroying the reputation he has built. Nor will it be a particularly pleasant experience for children.
• Be innovative in the way you research and spread the word about memorable kindergarten graduation quotes. One family impressed me with a display in the lobby with sticky notes containing all the things people had thought about the event. They also had a guest book that allowed for more formal compliments. Imagine the joy of that child when he grows up and sees his kindergarten graduation story reflected in the quotes written.
• Remember that the quotes will also include reflections from everyone who was involved in organizing and conducting the kindergarten graduation ceremony. Therefore, it is appropriate that the children themselves have the opportunity to express their own personal thinking about the procedures. This is what the Montessori system is all about. The occasion belongs to the child and they are stakeholders who must be allowed to express themselves.

You, the parent, also have a role to play in creating memorable dates. At a later stage, your child may be interested in taking note of his perspective on the proceedings.