As graduation approaches, our heads are bursting with thoughts of the senior trip, summer vacation, and college. Before we graduate however, we have something to say that has been overdue for roughly 18 years: Parents, thank you for everything that you have done to help us reach this important  milestone in our lives. 

Thank you for being our first teachers and sharing all of your knowledge with us. When we were knee high to grasshoppers, you read us entertaining books such as Green Eggs and Ham, Go, Dog. Go!, and Fox in Sox at night, time and time again, until we fell asleep. When we were in the “Why?” stage of life and bombarded you 24/7 with questions about how the world works, you always answered to best of your ability. No matter how annoying our inquiries became, you still gave us an accurate explanation accompanied by a calm and pleasant attitude. When we came home with a worksheet on long division, you were there sitting at the kitchen table with your pencil and scratch paper, more than ready to lend a helping hand. As we grew older and our questions became more mature, your answers became more wise. When we didn’t take your advice but should have, you never said, “I told you so.” You always offered your assistance to help us out of whatever pickle we had landed ourselves in.

Thank you for the reprimanding us. We didn’t realize it then, when we were standing in the corner, sitting in the time out chair, or staying home on a Friday night while our friends went out, that you were molding us into people who know the difference between right and wrong. We realized that our actions have consequences and that we must take responsibility for our mistakes. You didn’t enjoy punishing us, and often said it hurt you more than it hurt us, yet, it was still very necessary to our development. While there are a few of us who are just reaching our mischief making prime, the vast majority have calmed down now and are disciplined individuals who are ready to graduate and contribute to society.

Thank you for being our personal chauffeurs. For at least 16 years, you drove us all over the face of the Earth without any complaint. When we needed a someone to take our friends to the movies, you were always more than happy to pack the minivan full of boisterous children and make the drive up to Wilkes-barre.You drove us to and from hundreds of sports practices.  It didn’t matter to you if we led the team in points scored, or waters poured. On game day, you drove to the four corners of the world just so we could look up into the stands and see your smiling faces.  As Ronald Dahl said, “It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful.” During the summer, we piled into the family car and drove down to the seashore.. No matter how many times you had to hear us say, “Are we there yet,” and no matter how much we got on your nerves, you never stopped doing everything you could to ensure that we had the most enjoyable family vacation possible.

While teaching us the ABC’s, having us sit in the corner, and driving us to soccer practice were all extremely important to us, saying thank you for these things would only start to portray the gratitude we feel towards you for raising us. You were the first person to ever believe in us. You gave us our confidence. Everything we have accomplished in our short lives, we owe to no one else but you. You were there for us in every stage of our lives, providing your love and support and without it we wouldn’t be the same young men and women we are today. You have constructed for us a sound foundation of love and support that we will build upon for the rest of our lives and for that we could never truly express the proper amount of gratitude.