School's Out, Almost!

When I was in school students were never recognized for completing any grade other than on your High School graduation day.You were expected to "graduate" at the end of each school year and as a result of your efforts recommended for promotion to the next grade level the following year. So that meant no special shirts acknowledging the last day of a particular grade and no congratulatory presents for advancing to a new grade level, only a "good job" after Mom and Dad reviewed the final report card and shared constructive criticism of what could have or should have been better. We wore our school uniform everyday of the school year. After an exhausting nine months of daily classwork as well as homework, it was finally the end of the school year and time for our student parade, school picnic, and summer vacation! Looking back, I suppose the new picnic outfit was the "gift" we each received for "graduating" that year. We did, however, always give our teachers a special gift at Christmas and the end of each school year. When I was in grade school we had 54 kids in our second grade class with one teacher and not a single teacher's aide to assist. Mrs. Krause most definitely earned each and every thank you gift!

Times have changed and our precious little one's are recognized for everything! Just participate and you get a ribbon! It was definitely a different lifestyle when I was young. We didn't have preschools and kindergarten was merely a half day and you were assigned to a morning or afternoon session. We walked to and from class with several of our 5 and 6 year old classmates. There was no parental supervision and somehow we all survived! The moms for the most part were stay at home moms tending to the smaller siblings and household chores, and the father's wages were the only source of family income. Monies for shirts and gifts, other than for Christmas and birthdays, just wasn't available. No regrets though. I am ever thankful for all the love and shared family experiences of my childhood. Life today is not as simple as it seemed back then, and yes, I do give special recognition to acknowledge the kiddos' achievements. Everyone does nowadays, it's the norm and I wouldn't have it any other way! So if you're looking for a special tee for your little one's pre-school, kindergarten, first grade, or any grade graduation, Zoey's Attic can help. Here you'll also find many cool thank you gifts for your children's teachers including custom tote bags, water bottles and tumblers, sweet custom throw and travel pillows, and personalized shirts too. And, no worries if you need a special design or wording, Zoey can create it for you! Congratulations to all our little grads and a huge thank you to teachers everywhere for your dedication and hard work! Enjoy your summer vacation!