A father who dedicated 12 years to crafting his daughter’s graduation gift has revealed how his child was moved to tears upon receiving it. Choosing the perfect present for a child’s graduation can prove challenging, particularly after years of hard work and commitment from both student and parents alike.
Expressing parental pride in words often feels impossible, but one devoted dad managed to strike gold with the ideal gift that cost him merely £10. When his daughter reached the age of four, he stumbled across a Reddit post about a thoughtful present someone had given their 18-year-old child.
The parent had presented their youngster with the beloved book “Oh The Places You’ll Go” by Dr Seuss, with each page containing a personalised message from every educator they’d encountered from nursery through to secondary school.
The father explained: “I thought that was a fabulous idea. And stole it. So every year, without fail, I asked her teachers to write something in the book. Hidden of course from my daughter.
“This week she graduated and I finally gave her the book. She graduated at the top of her class. She got so many awards, I lost count. But when she saw that book… and how everyone throughout her life not only believed in her, but knew she would be great, well that gave her an overwhelming sense of pride. She sobbed happy tears.
“She also realized how much time would have gone into it, and knew that her parents loved her deeply. And we too have always believed in her.
“So, for all those parents out there with children about to start school in the Autumn, pinch this Reddit tip. You’ll look like Parent of the Year material at Graduation.”
Other parents expressed their admiration for the idea, or revealed they had been implementing it for their own offspring after spotting the same post.
One user enthused: “I love this idea but also definitely have a second copy that you read to them as they grow up because the lessons in that book are exceptional for people of all ages. It is my favourite book and I gift it to all my friends who have kids.”
Another suggested: “I think reading it to them as they grow makes it more meaningful to receive the book later, as then they actually have a personal connection/core memory from childhood.”
A different parent shared: “I’ve been doing this for my special needs son. He has so many people who work with him 1 on 1 year after year and they all have so many wonderful things to say and little wins to celebrate with him! He’s eight now and between the speech therapists occupational therapists and physical therapists, along with teachers and classroom staff and higher up staff who want to sign his book, it looks like we might need a second book before he finishes school.
“He’s still learning how to read but I know one day he will be able to read and he will love seeing how many people believed in him.”
However, educators who spotted the father’s suggestion urged parents to consider their workload when requesting such keepsakes.
One teacher explained: “From the teacher side – please give it to us with plenty of notice and time to write in it. So many parents send it in on the last day of school and we are already overwhelmed with making sure we celebrate and send everything home and get cleaned up before the end of the day.
“Send it a month in advance, give each teacher a couple days/week. We might be able to whip out a note in five minutes or we might have seven of these on our table waiting for us and no time to spare that day.
“It’s a lovely idea, but please understand that teachers could have hundreds of students and responsibilities that make this sweet gift a challenge.”
Another educator shared their experience: “I had 22 first graders this year and signed 13 copies of this – seven of them on the last two days of school. I sooo wish I had more time to pool my thoughts together and come up with something more personal because by that last one I was just regurgitating some positivity garbage.”
