Whether your child is graduating from Kindergarten or from College, in the anticipation and excitement of this hallmark moment we oftentimes skip right over the really important parts.

What is ‘graduation’? Technically, graduation is the conferring of a degree or diploma to mark the completion of studies. But in a much broader sense graduation is not only about the academic accomplishment but it is also about the culmination of a journey. To reach this point, not only has there been a great deal of facts and figures and strategies and philosophies learned and shared, but there has also been a great deal of personal exploration, growth and development.

Be it a college graduate who has matured into a new level of young adulthood or a kindergartner who has learned to share, graduation offers a time to explore the journey from start to end and to consider what comes next; as graduation doesn’t signal an end, but rather, a new beginning.

Help your child to truly experience and make the most of this fantastic accomplishment.

Here are 5 things that any graduate can do to truly embrace the moment.

Reflect on the journey. Graduation offers an opportunity to stop and reflect on what’s been learned, gained and experienced along the way. What worked, what didn’t, what was accomplish and what is there still to do? Encourage your graduate to take some time to stop and reflect.
Acknowledge everything that has been learned, gained and experienced. One you’ve reflected on it, acknowledge it. Help your graduate to see where they started and where they are today. Sometimes when it is our own growth we are too close to the action and we don’t see the strides we made. Helping your graduate to both see this and acknowledge it will deepen the value of this important moment.

Celebrate the moment. Whether it’s a Kindergarten graduation parade or College graduation ceremony; graduation tends to come with a good deal of fanfare, but beyond all the pomp and circumstance, encourage your graduate to truly celebrate from within their amazing accomplishment. Especially in today’s climate, with futures being uncertain, true celebration may be by-passed for worry of what comes next. Set the what-comes-next aside long enough to really celebrate all that has been achieved.

Embrace the closing of one chapter and the starting of something new. For many both young and old, the end of something can bring up fear of the unknown. Help your graduate see this moment in time as the stepping off point of another wonderful adventure.

Envision what comes next. After all the celebration and partying has come to a close, encourage your graduate to think about what comes next. What will this next leg of their journey look like? What do they hope to accomplish? Many of us never stop to consider this, we simply role along to the next thing. By taking time to envision you encourage your graduate to see life as a conscious choice and to see their next step as something which they can create, not something that just happens.

So to all those graduating, congratulations and may the next leg of your journey be rewarding, exciting and fulfilling.

© 2012 Christine Agro

Have questions about your child or need support? Christine offers private readings as well as on-line support at The Consicous Mom’s Guide

Christine Agro is a clairvoyant, naturopath, Master Herbalist, conscious mom and author of 50 Ways to Live Life Consciously as well as of The Conscious Living Wisdom Cards (Special Moms’ Edition). Christine is founder of The Conscious Mom’s Guide , a membership site where she helps support you on your own journey of living life consciously and on your journey of being a Conscious parent. You can also join Christine on Facebook. To contact Christine or to schedule an appointment with her please email her.