Do you have a child who is about to graduate from college? You’ll probably know by the panicked state of their voice when they talk to you on phone. They’ll have finals, internships, and projects that they have to finish in addition to trying to secure a job. There’s no question that when graduation comes around, they’ll need a break or reward of some sort. So how should you reward the college graduate in your life for all of that hard work?
- Give them a graduation party: There’s no doubt that your college graduate probably hasn’t seen their friends and family in a while as they navigate the aisles of their college library trying to complete that annotated bibliography to finish off that Senior Thesis. Give them a breath of relief with an organized graduation party to tell them well-done. You can have it at your family’s house or a mutually-agreed upon location; the key is that your graduate knows that you’re proud of them for their hard work.
- Give them a home warming gift: With luck and due diligence, your college graduate will land a job where they’ll have to live on their own. If your child is anything like most college graduates, they probably don’t have many decorations or fixtures to make an apartment a home. Why not give your college graduate a decorative piece like limited edition art, so they’ll have an apartment that they want to come home to. Other ideas include purchasing an appliance for them or paying their first month’s rent.
- Give them a dream vacation: Life happens, and soon enough, you’re tied down to a job where you only get two weeks of vacation for the year. Europe, Asia and Mexico are vacations best left to the young and curious. Why not reward your college graduate a dream vacation when they have the time, drive and romanticism to enjoy it? A vacation also gives them the opportunity to recharge their batteries, so they’re better able to start the next part of their lives.
These are just some ideas out there about what you can give your college graduate for their graduation. Whatever the case, the most important thing is to give your child who’s graduating something they’ll appreciate so they know how much you’re proud of them. As we all know, you only graduate from college once. Be sure to do your part as an appreciative parent by giving your college graduate a gift they’ll remember.
Samantha Wideman is part of a team of writers and specializes in writing about current news events.