I think I'm still in shock at the moment!

Gee thanks for the reminder of what I'm going to be going thru in 8yrs. with my daughter. Least your not making your daughter pay for it all like my bro and sil did. My niece had quite a bit in savings from working odd jobs thru high school. Money she was saving for her first car after graduating. They made her take all that money out and pay for her own graduation which I think is rotten for them to do. My parents paid for mine and my bro's graduations and my mom isn't too happy with them after I told her what they did. Anyways, good luck with her graduation and you can keep the 2 straight jackets I'm giving ya. I have plenty of them so 2 won't be missed.

Oh I'm so sorry I don't have and straightjackets, there's three of us living here and I'm already short two jackets. Money is somewhat short also but I have a lot of hugs and love since I have no one in this house worthy of such a gift. So for you my dear friend here is Lots of Love and ((((((BIG HUGS))))))

Yes, i have been thru this and it is very costly. My oldest daughter dropped out 2 months prior to graduation and after we had already done the pics and the prom etc. Not only that she had her pics done with her then boyfriend much against my wishes. well, a year later, she went back and we did go thru the expenses again only this time she did help pay and she did graduate.

Hey, if a TON of positive energy helps, here it is, and if you need any more, just holler! You'll get through, believe me! When our youngest graduated, we were hurtin' because of my medical bills. They had taken the regular pictures at the beginning of the year, so we took one of those and had a mass quantity printed up on better paper... they came out softer-looking and very nice... and about a quarter of the price of a sitting! She also got a part-time job and we pooled our resources and managed to get everything she WANTED, not everything available. And its a good thing, because a few months later we were working on her wedding!

I still have some years to go before my son even hits highschool thank goodness. But I do remember my senior year of highschool. The expensives are extremely shocking. I even felt bad about all the money my parents were to put out my last year of high school. So I started outweighing things and decided what things meaned the most to me. I wanted the giant big deal senior prom with a limo and everything so I wasn;t budging on that. In the end I opted not to get the class ring. It would have cost my parents over 500.00 for the ring I wanted and I could not see having them spend that much on something that was more than likely gone to sit in a jewelry box and collect dust after graduation. Well I do hope it all works out for you and hope you daughter has a very memorable senior year.

I hate to tell you but the gown, ring, pictures, invitations and thank you notes are only the beginning. I've done it three times in three years, there are also senior fund raisers (not sure what for) and t-shirts t-shirts t-shirts. My second one was coming to me on a weekly basis telling me she had to have anywhere from 5-20 dollars for some t-shirt or another. Then there is the senior trip, proms, senior gift, club dues, graduation parties, senior gift (to the school), special outfits for banquets, (for you and the kid) and the list goes on. The sad thing is the better the student the more expensive the senior year. My second graduate was an honors student, athlete and active in every extra curricular she could find I had to take out a loan to get her graduated. Good luck

Well Sweetie I really hope it all works out for you and that you will get through it If I could help you I would you know that I really hope all is going well Love and Hugs to you Sweet

hey katlady! ^__^ graduations are really expensive! my college graduation was a lot expensive than my high school graduation but i didn't mind it since college was the very last of me going to school. LOL but i was just disappointed when i wasn't able to get my college ring. i already paid the down payment but i wasn't able to pay full on time. it really disappoints me when i think about it. my friends and i used to joke about it when we were still in school. we imagined we'd just show our rings during interviews and we'll be accepted immediately. LOL goodluck! ^__^

Hi Katlady2, Wow, thanks for the 'heads up' here. My daughter is in grade eleven, so she has one more year to go after this. I've heard that this is a very expensive time, but I guess we'll 'cross that bridge' ... Our school's grad photos are taken right at the school, by the photographer they hire, so am not sure if this will be helpful, in the long run. Something that 'I hate' that they do, is they 'don't' wear caps and gowns, which I think is just plain wrong. Another weird thing is, they hold the graduation ceremonies in the fall, when 'many' of the graduating students, can't be there, because they've already gone away to university or college. This makes no sense to me. My daughter is currently working part time, and I'm sure will continue to do so, which will be helpful, with my financial constraints. This is such a special time though, and I believe that our hard working kids, deserve this 'moment in the sun.' I wish you all the best with this, and hope you get some assistance from your brother, and ex husband. Take Care.

Yes, such events are expensive it seems...Of course when I graduated from both high school and college back in the Civil War days (hehe) things were a lot cheaper so I feel for you and anyone who is going through this Yes, my prayers will be with you to endure this frazzled time and am sending my spare straight jacket to you LOL

I have dibs on the straighjacket...I will be sending it right away...good luck to you...

Ouch! I feel your pocketbook pain and remember it well from our kids high school days. I'd pass you one of our straitjackets but just when we think we don't need them anymore, something happens that puts us right back in them LOL! You'll get through it somehow, I just know you will.

yes everything is so expensive now and i have that to look forward with my 3 baies as well when they get older.times have changed so much.pictures and stuff are so expensive but i would get them done at walmart or something.i wish you luck hon and i need one of those jackets as well.pattie

aha,it sounds nice. yeah , of course i will wish you luck and pray for you . good luck to you !!!

Yes, it is expensive. My youngest is graduating this year. Since I've been thru it before I knew what to expect. You will get thru it just fine, think how proud you are of her and all the hard work she has done to be graduating! One thing, I will prepare you for is the graduation party, that really adds up fast. So, plan what you want to serve and how many people and start looking for specials now. After Holidays is a good time to find napkins and paper plates in the school colors.