Cultivating Memories
Cultivating Memories with your senior grad
Senior year is such a bittersweet time for both parents and kids. You’ve invested the last 18 years of your life raising the near-adult standing before you. While you’re beaming with pride, you also probably feel like digging your heels in a bit to slow down time, right?
These are a few of the ways I’ve made the most of our time with my own senior before she flies the nest. We’ve made so many memories that we’ll both cherish for years to come and I hope that you do the same.
Go on Adventures Together
I am a huge advocate for traveling with your kids, especially your senior. By this point, they’re on the brink of adulthood and starting their own life. Why not give them rich experiences by seeing the world together to set them off on their own path? From road trips and vacations exploring new cities to hiking a new trail locally, focus on enjoying your adventures and precious time together.
Give Them a Heartfelt Gift
Giving your senior a heartfelt gift is another great way to show your love and appreciation for them while commemorating this milestone. Consider a heartfelt letter for them to hold onto and reread later in life. A sentimental handmade gift, heirloom jewelry, or tickets to their favorite concert. What you choose as the gift isn’t as important as the thought behind it!
Experience New Things Together
Step out of your comfort zones together! This may look like volunteering for a nonprofit or charity, taking a cooking class, or trying out a new restaurant together– it could become a new favorite! It’s so important to make new memories on top of reminiscing, and this is a great way to do exactly that.
Set Them Up for Success
Now is the time to really hone in on those precious family recipes and tricks you’ve picked up along the way as an adult yourself. We’ve all been there– young and excited to start your life and make your own decisions. It can be daunting! Take this time to cook together, reiterate any cleaning tricks, and especially how to budget. They’ll thank you later and you’ll sleep better knowing they’re prepared.
Have Family Dinners
This is an idea that doesn’t have to end, but it’s a great idea to implement it now. Family dinners are a great way to catch up with each other as life starts to get busier. It’s also a great time to pass on those recipes I mentioned! This allows you to carve out time to simply enjoy each others company over a delicious meal.
Do the Things They Love
At this point, your child has become their own person. Remember when they were small and begged you to play Barbies or you cheered them on from the little league stands? The same principles apply now that they’re grown. Bond over a trip to the bookstore, go for a hike, paint together, do whatever it is they love and share in that joy with them!
Take lots of pictures
I know, I know, this one’s obvious coming from a photographer but it’s SO important! Senior year is a unique time in every teen’s life. They still have the freedom and spirit of a child, but they’re well on their way to “the real world” and they’ll never have a time like this again. Schedule a session with me, take photos yourself on your adventures, just make sure you capture these moments. There are a million things you can do with them from scrapbooks, to graduation videos, and printing them as gifts, but most importantly, they freeze a precious fleeting moment in time forever.
Celebrate graduation
Graduation is the cherry on top of the sundae for seniors and it deserves to be celebrated. Grad parties are a great way to get family and friends involved! You can put those photos to use in a video for your senior, use some of them as decor, and just give them the spotlight for an evening. It’s something they’ll always remember.
