O’Neil: Some graduation advice
Graduation season kicks off in Eagle County on May 23 and runs through May 31. Over 500 students will graduate from local schools, and based on the high school seniors I know, I have optimism and hope for the future.
To the parents of graduating high school seniors, this is a time to pause, take a deep breath, and celebrate. Pat yourself on the back, too. Yes, they did it, but you were a key part of that journey. Here’s a little advice for how to navigate the days surrounding your child’s high school graduation.
A high school diploma still means something
For some in our valley, it’s a first. For previous generations, it was the final diploma as college was out of reach for most. That piece of paper represents the culmination of work and effort fulfilling a school’s requirements for graduation. Some seniors are crawling to the finish line while others are finishing strong, but all of them are finishing a race. Don’t take it for granted. Celebrate.
Have a healthy perspective on college
Don’t let the name of a college (or not going to college) define your child and don’t compare your senior’s college decision with other seniors like a status game. The adage — “comparison is the thief of joy” — is real. Find better definitions and examples of success, especially ones that demonstrate good character. I like this definition that was shared with me by a college professor: Success is the process of becoming better than you once were.
Acknowledge the rite of passage, theirs and yours
High school graduates are concluding chapter four of a 10-chapter book called “Life.” They and you will experience highs and lows at the same time. Change can be stressful. Recognize the difference between good stress and bad stress. Remember that graduation, oftentimes called commencement, is a beginning, a new start. That’s true for them and you.
Support Local Journalism
Think of your teen’s love language in choosing a graduation gift
Gary Chapman, the author of “The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers,” names them as words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, service, and gifts. Regardless of the gift, I also recommend a handwritten note from each parent, a love letter that likely will be held on to and cherished for a lifetime.
Give thanks
Show gratitude to those who poured their lives into your graduate over the last four years: the teachers, coaches, and mentors. Doing this is a great example to your graduate and an encouragement to those on the front line of preparing the next generation for the world in which they will enter.
Today’s soon-to-be graduates will one day be our teachers, nurses, doctors, tradespeople, engineers, business owners, civic leaders, and the list goes on. More than their careers, they will influence and lead the direction of our own Eagle County as well as our state, country, and world. Knowing the high school seniors that I know, I have great optimism and hope.
Steve O’Neil is the head of school at Vail Christian High School in Edwards.
