Graduation ceremony with a toddler

[xemmax]

I know this is a pretty specific question so I'm not sure if anyone will be able to help, but has anyone taken a toddler to a graduation ceremony?

I am hoping to graduate in July and I can't imagine Oliver not being there but the advice is to carefully consider taking children under 8 as the ceremony is 90 minutes long.

Obviously we could keep him quiet-ish with the help of snacks and an iPad but the tickets are £25 each so if he had to be taken outside then it could be a waste of £50.

I'm not sure what to do... has anyone else been in this situation?

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Well, I graduated 10years ago this year (eek!) and it definitely would have been really boring for toddlers. Only you know your individual child but I would not take ruby if this were me. I'd maybe do something fun for her afterwards to mark the occasion.

 

[Wriggley]

i graduated a year ago - we were only allowed 2 guests which were my mum and OH, my MIL brought LO along and took him for a walk for the actual ceramony and he came for the meal with us afterwards.

I graduated in Canterbury Cathedual and although it was very exciting for me. it would be SUPER boring for a young child. No children attended the actual ceramony (though were allowed) my son would have been bored stiff and its a very grand building and the ceramony was extremely formal and certainly not the place for my LO who would have wanted to get up and run around.

 

[Lina]

You have to pay? Wow, our first two tickets were free. I would never take a toddler for the reasons above, my mother very nearly napped in there and I don't blame her!

Not sure if its the same everywhere, but our uni had a special room with a massive tv for additional guests to watch the ceremony live: which I imagine would be a more comfortable environment for a toddler. Worth finding out if something like that is in place or alternatively have someone bring him to the venue after the ceremony so you still get pictures together.

 

[tina3747]

I wouldn't take him, I think it would be so boring for them and if he starts playing up and your in hearing distance you'll be stressing about him.
Just go and enjoy the 90 mins and have a nice meal afterwards, he can head the table!!

 

[rosie272]

I went to my friend's last year and it was pretty long, there's no way Charlie would have sat through it - even with distractions - you had to be quiet! There wasn't any young kids there at all tbh, maybe a few sleeping babies. If you think Oliver could cope then go for it but I'd be more inclined to do what Claire said and plan something fun for afterwards, it would be such a waste of £50 if you had to take him out!

 

[xemmax]

Thanks guys, I think I will leave him and do something fun afterwards, that's a good idea.

I went to my mum's (third ) graduation a few years ago and they had a room with a video link there but there's no mention of one at mine, which is a real shame. I think I'm going to ask if there's any way I can get Oliver in for after the ceremony, but I'm not sure what they'll say.

And yeah we have to pay for the tickets.. so those plus gown hire plus stupid certificate tube has cost me £100, and I still have photography to pay for. It's ridiculous when my tuition fees were over £3k this year!

 

[sapphire1]

I've never taken a toddler, but they're definitely not toddler friendly things. I nearly fell asleep myself through boredom, gawd knows how a kid would be Most graduation ceremonies are massive (mine was anyway) so his view of you probably wouldn't be great anyway. I agree with a PP who said to do something nice afterwards. Congrats btw! x x

 

[xemmax]

Yeah I forgot how boring they are actually, it's definitely for selfish reasons I want him there! Plus I definitely owe my degree to him, I was a shit student before I had him and now I'm a total teacher's pet

Thanks hun, it's been a long time coming (started my degree in 08!) xx

 

[fantastica]

Thanks for posting this, I (hopefully) graduate in July too and really wanted to take Jacob, but after reading these replies i'm not so sure. I really want him around for photos etc. though haha! Not sure what to do now :/

 

[louandivy]

Woooooooo go Emma with your fancy first class degree that you'll be getting in a few months!

 

[wishuwerehere]

Definitely not! I graduated last year and i found it excruciatingly dull, i can only imagine it'd be 10 times worse for a toddler!

 

[xemmax]

Woooooooo go Emma with your fancy first class degree that you'll be getting in a few months!

Haha not counting my chickens yet! But still so excited

 

[xemmax]

Thanks for posting this, I (hopefully) graduate in July too and really wanted to take Jacob, but after reading these replies i'm not so sure. I really want him around for photos etc. though haha! Not sure what to do now :/

That's my thinking too, I wanted him for photos etc. I think I'm going to get someone to bring him down after the ceremony.

Congrats by the way! What do you intend on doing after?

 

[Wellington]

Seems like you've already made up your mind....

...when I started my degree I had no kids, when I finished, I had 2. I also thought they ought to be there, but as it was, we all only got guaranteed 2 tickets and had to apply for any spares. This meant I had to try to choose between my husband and my dad in the first instance.

As it was, we left the girls at nursery and managed to go out for a grown up lunch afterwards- very civilised!

I would have been on edge the whole time worrying that they would interrupt proceedings .... Which were boooooooring!

 

[Lina]

Seems like you've already made up your mind....

...when I started my degree I had no kids, when I finished, I had 2. I also thought they ought to be there, but as it was, we all only got guaranteed 2 tickets and had to apply for any spares. This meant I had to try to choose between my husband and my dad in the first instance.

As it was, we left the girls at nursery and managed to go out for a grown up lunch afterwards- very civilised!

I would have been on edge the whole time worrying that they would interrupt proceedings .... Which were boooooooring!

This actually happened to us. My OH attended this fancy ceremony a couple of months ago and he insisted we go with him, so we did, everything was going smoothly right up to the point LO shouted "daddy" as he got up to the stage and shouted his favourite lyrics, demanding he sing it!

 

[Lu28]

I found my own graduation fun but I went to my sister's the year before and it was incredibly long and boring so there's no way I'd subject a toddler to it

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

My own was so boring! Toddler presence would've certainly improved it.

 

[mistyscott]

I was umming and aa-ing about this for mine last year...but then read the small print and realised children under 8 weren't allowed (LO was 10mths at the time).

In the end, my brother and his family came along and were able to take LO while dh and bro came to watch me in my silly hat but, dh, LO and I had a group photo done before the ceremony which turned out lovely.

I also remember reading they had set up a family tent with cbeebies on a big screen and beanbags etc. I don't think my sil had a chance to check it out though as her toddler son just wanted to run around! Oh, and for us it was bring LO or not go as the ceremony was by then 5hrs drive away for us.

Congrats!