August 19, 2026

From First-Day Tears to Graduation Cheers

Kate Puzan, Education Specialist

I tried to prepare my heart and mind for this moment for months – the moment when I would watch my baby walk down the aisle in his graduation cap and gown (full of pride and smiling ear to ear), “Pomp and Circumstance” playing in the background, and being handed his very first diploma – a moment so significant, not just for me (and other parents out there), but for our little graduates, too. Because a Pre-K graduation is much more than a simple ceremony, right? It’s a special milestone that celebrates and recognizes all the things our children have learned and all the ways they’ve grown throughout the past year. However, for my son (and many others), I wasn’t getting ready to celebrate just a year of growth – I was getting ready to celebrate FIVE.

And, to be honest, no amount of “mental preparation” was ever going to be enough for me in the months leading up to his graduation day. When graduation day arrived and I saw his little face peeking through the triangle window of the classroom, beaming at me and his Dad while he got ready for the ceremony with the rest of his friends, it was then and there that the flood gates opened and I found myself unable to hold back the tears (Me to self: “GET IT TOGETHER – the ceremony hasn’t even started yet!”). But as he stood there in the window so excited, proud, and confident…. all I could think about was that in a few short minutes, he would be handed his diploma…. signifying the end of his educational journey at Doodle Bugs!…and marking the start of the next step on his journey – Kindergarten.

This leaves me with the question then – HOW DID WE EVEN GET HERE? Let’s head back in time when my son’s journey at Doodle Bugs! first began.

2021-2022

2021 was a year filled with both beautiful and challenging moments for me as a mom. Not only did I welcome my 2nd baby that year (almost 12 years following my 1st), but we were in the middle of a global pandemic, and I moved into an entirely new role at Doodle Bugs! (having received a promotion that took me from a center to the home office as an Education Specialist). By the time my son was ready to begin childcare at Doodle Bugs!, I had only been in my new position for about two months. So while I was still learning the ropes at work, I needed to somehow build up the strength and courage to face another challenge as a working mom – handing my baby (my world) over to complete strangers.

It was June 2nd and I remember walking into the center and down to his classroom with a very heavy heart – full of so many different emotions (anxiety, stress, sadness, fear). Would he like his teachers, the other children, this new environment, his crib? Would the notes and tips I left for the teachers in the parent engagement app be helpful enough? Did he have everything he needed? Did I fill out the “Caring For Your Little Ones” form thoroughly and accurately enough? Will he be……. OK?

It was a lot to question, a lot to feel. When I handed him over that day, I walked out of the building and to my car with tears pouring out of my eyes. THAT WAS SO MUCH HARDER THAN I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED. All day I found myself thinking about him at work and wondering how he was doing. I made it through half my day and decided to go visit him on my lunch break. When I walked up to the classroom and peeked through the window, I couldn’t believe what I saw. My baby boy…he wasn’t sad or angry. He was happy and content! Seeing this gave me so much comfort and reassured me that he was in excellent hands (and I had nothing to worry about). When I left to head back to work, he was smiling and eager to get back to playing with his new friends and teachers.

The remainder of his time in an infant classroom was filled with beautiful, loving moments and major milestones. From learning to crawl, to standing, to walking, to saying his first words, to eating real food, to scribbling with a crayon and exploring paint for the first time – my little guy had the most incredible experiences in just his first year. I couldn’t wait to see him continue to grow and learn new things throughout his time at Doodle Bugs!.

2022-2024

When my son moved into a toddler classroom, that’s when I saw his social-emotional skills really develop and strengthen. He began showing so much kindness and empathy towards others and enjoyed interacting with the other children and teachers. He had begun establishing some really beautiful relationships that only endured over the coming years. The number of times I had parents (even grandparents!) come up to me and tell me that their child/grandchild could not stop talking about my son at home…that he was their “best friend”…. it really made my heart so happy and proud.

Not only did I see his social-emotional skills take off, but his language skills and vocabulary did as well! He went from saying a few words, to sentence fragments, to full sentences in such a short period of time! I was blown away by his language growth and attribute it to all of the language, books, new vocabulary, and variety of learning experiences he was exposed to during his time in a toddler classroom.

2024-2026

In his final two years at Doodle Bugs! (Preschool and Pre-K), my son continued to learn new things – about the world, animals, plants, traditions across the globe, and communities – coming home at night and sharing all the facts and information he learned during Circle Time that day (while we we’re sitting around the dinner table). Not only that, but his skills in other areas like literacy and math truly blossomed, too. He learned to write his name (and even his friends’ names), recognize all the letters of the alphabet, count (as high as 50!), problem-solve, and think creatively. I was blown away by the different things he was learning and learning how to do each and every day. I even began noticing his hidden talents – drawing and engineering! By the end of Pre-K, I had no doubt in my mind that he was more than ready to tackle Kindergarten.

Graduation Day

Suddenly, in what felt like “a blink of an eye,” it was June 25th, 2026 – Graduation Day. Like my son’s first day at Doodle Bugs!, I was full of emotions. Happy? Yes. Sad? Also, yes. It was a bittersweet day, because while I was excited to see my son begin a new and exciting chapter, it was also sad to see a chapter close that has had such a positive impact on him and his development.

The reality for me on graduation day was that my “baby” …he wasn’t a baby anymore. Over the past five years, he’s grown into a very competent young boy who’s more than ready to begin the next step on his educational journey. Earlier this year, if I even mentioned the word “kindergarten”, tears soon followed and he would say, “But Mom, I want to stay at Doodle Bugs! for a hundred thousand more days!” And now? He couldn’t be more eager to take this next step and begin at a new school in the fall.

Final Thoughts

So when I reflect on the question, “HOW DID WE EVEN GET HERE?”, I’m met with a flood of beautiful memories and experiences that have ultimately shaped the heart, mind, and development of the little boy that stands in front of me, today.

What began for me as tears and fears those short five years ago have manifested into nothing but cheers and excitement as I look ahead to what’s to come for my little guy. Doodle Bugs! has done a remarkable job preparing my son for the next step in his educational journey – really helping him grow into the most wonderful, smart, confident, and kind-hearted boy over the years. They’ve instilled in him a love of learning – which I’m certain will only help him to succeed in school and other aspects of his life in the future. I could not be prouder of my son and all the ways he’s grown throughout these past five years and look forward to watching him continue to flourish as he takes this next step. Watch out Kindergarten – here he comes!