Random Photo Thread: The Sequel

[Dawgluver]

How adorable! Congrats, Tyler!

Yeah, I probably would have choked up a bit too, Cheryl!

 

[Aunt Bea]

Today was Tyler's kindergarten graduation ceremony. OMGosh, were those kids ever cute and SO well behaved! The audience was seated and waiting patiently for them. When Pomp and Circumstance started playing and those little 5 year olds walked up the center aisle with big smiles and wearing their little caps and gowns, I lost it. Thank goodness I brought plenty of tissues!

It was a sea of tiny little graduation caps when they were all seated and waiting to be called to the stage for their diplomas.

Great photo!

Congratulations Tyler!!!

 

[GotGarlic]

Aw, so cute! Congrats to Tyler and his classmates!

 

[Kayelle]

Today was Tyler's kindergarten graduation ceremony. OMGosh, were those kids ever cute and SO well behaved! The audience was seated and waiting patiently for them. When Pomp and Circumstance started playing and those little 5 year olds walked up the center aisle with big smiles and wearing their little caps and gowns, I lost it. Thank goodness I brought plenty of tissues!

It was a sea of tiny little graduation caps when they were all seated and waiting to be called to the stage for their diplomas.

I got a little teary just hearing about it. Those little caps are even with the chairs...flash forward 12 years and take another picture then Cheryl.
Do you think Tyler will be tall Cheryl? My boys Dad was only 5'9" and I'm 5'8" When they both grew to be well over 6' I used to say I had to home grow them to get a tall man.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

So cute, Cheryl! The wee ones are so short you see just caps above the chair backs for most of them. Sweet. Congrats. Now on to bigger and better things...like first grade.

Do they still use The Letter People program in kindergarten? They were popular when our kids were in k-garten in 1986-87. Towards the end of the year they had a wedding between Mr. Q and Miss U. Our son got to be Mr. Q, "Mr. Quiet", even though he was anything BUT quiet! To this day I refer to the waffle recipe that uses club soda as "Wonderful Waffles" because Miss Cindy made waffles with the class as that letter's learning tool.

 

[Addie]

So cute, Cheryl! The wee ones are so short you see just caps above the chair backs for most of them. Sweet. Congrats. Now on to bigger and better things...like first grade.

Do they still use The Letter People program in kindergarten? They were popular when our kids were in k-garten in 1986-87. Towards the end of the year they had a wedding between Mr. Q and Miss U. Our son got to be Mr. Q, "Mr. Quiet", even though he was anything BUT quiet! To this day I refer to the waffle recipe that uses club soda as "Wonderful Waffles" because Miss Cindy made waffles with the class as that letter's learning tool.

Now that sounds like a teacher who looks for materials that cost almost next to nothing so the little ones can learn. Very inventive of her.

 

[Cheryl J]

Thank you so much, ladies! It was certainly a day to remember. My daughter bought Tyler an adult sized T-shirt that says "Class of 2027" and will be taking his picture every year wearing that enormous shirt, starting with this year. It will be fun to look back on someday. (your comment below reminded me of that, Kay!)

So cute, Cheryl! The wee ones are so short you see just caps above the chair backs for most of them. Sweet. Congrats. Now on to bigger and better things...like first grade.

Do they still use The Letter People program in kindergarten? They were popular when our kids were in k-garten in 1986-87. Towards the end of the year they had a wedding between Mr. Q and Miss U. Our son got to be Mr. Q, "Mr. Quiet", even though he was anything BUT quiet! To this day I refer to the waffle recipe that uses club soda as "Wonderful Waffles" because Miss Cindy made waffles with the class as that letter's learning tool.

Cute story, CG! Kindergarten has changed so much over the years - the Letter People learning is done in pre-schools now. Kindergarten is the new 1st grade. Most of the kids in Kindergarten at Tyler's school are reading at least at 1st grade level, some at 2nd grade level. I was amazed at how much he's learned this year, on so many different subjects - math, science, etc.

I got a little teary just hearing about it. Those little caps are even with the chairs...flash forward 12 years and take another picture then Cheryl.
Do you think Tyler will be tall Cheryl? My boys Dad was only 5'9" and I'm 5'8" When they both grew to be well over 6' I used to say I had to home grow them to get a tall man.

They must have gotten a recessive gene in there somewhere, Kay! Yep, Tyler's going to be a tall one, like his dad. He's always been taller than most kids his age and will probably be taller than me (5'4") by the time he's 9 or 10. My SIL is a big and burly 6'3", he works out a lot and is just, well, a BIG guy.

Funny story - yesterday my SIL was on duty but was able to come in for most of Tyler's graduation. He had his 25 pounds of cop gear he has to carry stuffed in his vest, on his belt and in his pockets. A little 3 year old boy nearby saw him and told his mom "Look, mama! A transformer!"

 

[RPCookin]

Times sure have changed. The first graduation that was observed when I was in school was high school. All the rest you just moved up a grade and at certain points usually changed changed schools, even from elementary to junior high, and from there to high school. No special observances.

 

[Cheryl J]

Times sure have changed. The first graduation that was observed when I was in school was high school. All the rest you just moved up a grade and at certain points usually changed changed schools, even from elementary to junior high, and from there to high school. No special observances.

Yes they have, Rick! Friends and I were just talking about this yesterday. Many, if not most schools now have Kindergarten graduation (some schools call it 'promotion') ceremonies, at least in California. I too only recall HS graduations back then.

I remember parts of Kindergarten back in 1960, and it was little more than napping, playing, coloring, and snacks. Nothing at all like the curriculums nowadays.

 

[Kayelle]

Thank you so much, ladies! It was certainly a day to remember. My daughter bought Tyler an adult sized T-shirt that says "Class of 2027" and will be taking his picture every year wearing that enormous shirt, starting with this year. It will be fun to look back on someday. (your comment below reminded me of that, Kay!)

What a cute and clever idea for Tyler!
Loved the Transformer Daddy story!

 

[RPCookin]

Yes they have, Rick! Friends and I were just talking about this yesterday. Many, if not most schools now have Kindergarten graduation (some schools call it 'promotion') ceremonies, at least in California. I too only recall HS graduations back then.

I remember parts of Kindergarten back in 1960, and it was little more than napping, playing, coloring, and snacks. Nothing at all like the curriculums nowadays.

Kindergarten was about the same for me in 1951 - and no preschool either. We didn't really start our "education" until 1st grade. Yet I seem to have gotten a much better basic education than most kids do these days.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Kindergarten was about the same for me in 1951 - and no preschool either. We didn't really start our "education" until 1st grade. Yet I seem to have gotten a much better basic education than most kids do these days.

I agree, in my case I attribute it to two things.

I was raised before the internet. People seem to be more isolated and self absorbed, less engaged with the people around them than they were when I was growing up.

I was raised by people who cared about me and not in daycare. I spent much of my time with my grandparents and my grandmother in particular was always teaching us about our surroundings. Not preaching, just teaching in a casual conversational style. She talked to us about anything and everything from how to act in the cemetery to how to tell one type of tree from another.

 

[RPCookin]

I agree, in my case I attribute it to two things.

I was raised before the internet. People seem to be more isolated and self absorbed, less engaged with the people around them than they were when I was growing up.

I was raised by people who cared about me and not in daycare. I spent much of my time with my grandparents and my grandmother in particular was always teaching us about our surroundings. Not preaching, just teaching in a casual conversational style. She talked to us about anything and everything from how to act in the cemetery to how to tell one type of tree from another.

My grandmother was similar. She was an elementary school teacher, and loved the natural world. Summers spent with her were an informal education. She was also a reader and got all of us kids reading very early.

 

[Cheryl J]

Much of our summers were spent with my grandma and grandpa, and they too were such a positive influence on me and my brother. They took us to Yosemite every year, showed us the joys of camping in the wilderness, and taught us how to fish. Grandma was also big on helping us learn to read and memorize our 'times tables'. She was into crafts, and I remember spending hours making little people out of wooden clothespins, scraps of fabric, and a little glue.

My grandkids have 3 grandpas and 3 grandmas (4 grandmas up until last month ), and we're all actively involved in their lives and love every minute of it. Tyler is with me every day after school and now that it's summer vacation, he'll be with me nearly full time - 3 days a week. When he's not with me, he'll be in summer activities through Parks and Recreation here in town, and with my daughter's best friend who has a little boy for him to play with. I hope to be the memorable and positive influence to him, as my grandma was to me.

Times have changed, and many young families now have to have two incomes and rely on pre-schools when Gma and Gpa can't be available for whatever reason. My younger daughter has to work, my older daughter is able to be a stay at home mom. They've had the kids in part time pre-school for different reasons. I'm very thankful that nowadays they are actual learning facilities, and not just daycare.

 

[medtran49]

DD had kindergarten graduation back in the early 1980s, full cap and gown. They were so cute marching.

 

[Addie]

During the late 50's and early 60's mother's were just beginning to go to work to supplement the family income. Here in Boston, school started at nine a.m. Unfortunately for the children of working mothers, the kids were in the schoolyard at eight a.m. in the middle of the coldest days of winter. So the policy was changed. The school day started at eight-thirty. Some kids would wait at the home of their friends until it was time to head out the door.

Today, the doors open at seven a.m. and almost every grammar school has after school activities for latch key kids. If not at their school, the YMCA here in Eastie has very active programs for the kids. The only problem there is that the parents have to pay a fee to join. An expense not every family can afford. Also, our branches of the public libraries have after school activities for the kids. That is free. These afterschool activities run until six p.m. If a parent has signed up a kid for one, and the kid fails to show by a certain time, a call to the parent takes place immediately.

These are not babysitting services. Some kids will do their homework. Teachers are available to help them if they need it. Some will find a corner by themselves and read. And others head for the computer science room. The child chooses what they want to do. We also have a social center that specializes in sports activities.

I will admit, I liked it better when my kids were growing up. After school, they were able to play outside. But then it was a lot safer for kids. They did their homework after supper.

 

[Cheryl J]

This morning's haul from our local little farmers market. I roasted the baby beets and had them with this evening's dinner - they were sooo good.
Can't wait to dig into the stone fruit.

 

[Dawgluver]

Oooh. So pretty, Cheryl!

I'll have to start scouting out our local farmers markets.

 

[Cheryl J]

Thanks, Dawg. I'd love to hear about the bounty at your local farmers market. Fresh Iowa corn, anyone?

$2/lb. here for fresh picked peaches, nectarines and plums. SO much better than paying twice as much for the tasteless grocery store stone fruits! I had to be careful and not buy more than I can eat.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Those would be good all cut up and mixed together. Top a portion with a bit of ice cream and you have a nice dessert. Have some with yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast the next day. Delicious!