The Graduates

We had a good weekend, which started off with a trip to Krispy Kreme for breakfast on Saturday.  Totally unhealthy, but so tasty.  Nothing beats seeing them roll off the machine fresh–n–hot.  They are pretty good the day after too, as long as you warm them in the microwave… yes, we bought a dozen. 

After getting our donut fix, we hit 3 local nurseries in order to use "free plant" coupons that we received in the mail.  We made small purchases at each location and were able to get freebie plants at each one.  As usual, the CFO fell in love with a hydrangea, so we have added another one to our growing collection.  I am sure that, if she had it her way, the garden would be full of tulips and hydrangeas and probably nothing else.  While we were out, we also picked up a new vacuum, not an exciting way to spend money, but necessary none the less.  After having been plant shopping, all I could think about was how many plants I could have bought with that vacuum money!

On Sunday morning, we rolled out of bed and went to church.  I had a serious “What the Hell” moment (not a good thing to have at church?) when I was reading through the bulletin while we were waiting for the service to start.  This was the Sunday when we celebrate graduates and, on the back of the bulletin,  there was a list of several high school and college graduates, along with a few sentences about their accomplishments and future plans.  Below that, at the bottom of the page, was another heading “Other Graduations.”  Under that was a listing that I couldn't believe... I read it a second time, just to make sure I had read it correctly and then pointed it out to the CFO.  Seriously?  What the @#$%&?!  

I should have taken a copy of the bulletin home, but I didn't.  Fortunately, the church posts it on the website, so I was able to get my hands on it for you all.  Take a look at this and see what got me fired up:

                                           

(In case you can't read it is says:  _________, child of ___________ graduated from Prekindergarten-will attend LeRoy Elementary School.")

That's right, little Jimmy managed to persevere through that incredibly tough  Pre-K program and he is moving on to Kindergarten.  Thank goodness!  I know that we were all really worried that he might not be able to make it through that program... 

SERIOUSLY?!  WHAT THE @#$%&!  Is this really the direction in which this country is headed?  First of all, there shouldn’t be any graduations until you complete high school.  I do not understand why, over the past few years, people have begun celebrating getting out of each grade or moving from elementary to middle or middle to high school.  It doesn’t make any sense to me. 

Secondly, (and more importantly!) I can’t believe that the parents had the audacity to even submit this “achievement” to the church to go into the bulletin.  Do they really think we care?  I wish I knew who the parents were so I could smack some sense into them.  (Part of me hopes that they saw me point it out to the CFO and saw my "what the..." comment about it)  

I would really, really like to ask our minister about it, but know that I can’t.  I can imagine his eyes rolled when the secretary showed it to him after it was submitted... but he probably didn’t want to rock the boat so he allowed it to go into the bulletin.

This goes right along with my beef with one of Target’s current TV ads, which publicizes the fact that they contribute money to education systems.  The ad states that “every child DESERVES to go to college.”  Um, excuse me, but the word deserves is a little strong.  I know that I didn’t feel like I was entitled to go to college, I knew that I would have to work hard to make the grades needed to qualify to go to college.   I also knew that my parents were expecting me to do well enough in school so that I would be able to go to college, but it was on me to make it happen.  I, however, did not deserve to go to college, I EARNED the right to go to college.

To teach today’s kids anything less is setting them up for a rude awakening later on in life.  Not everything is handed to you on a silver platter.  It’s like kids playing in sports where they don’t keep score so there aren’t winners and losers.  Or, when every kid gets a trophy or award, just for participating.  I’m sorry but in everyday life, there are winners and losers and you don't get a participation award at the end of the work day. That will never change, so we might as well get them used to that fact. 

Of course, I don’t have kids, so what do I know?