"I hope your dreams take you... to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known."   ~Author Unknown

Celebrating our children's milestones begins with their first smile, the first time they roll over and the first steps they take. When you are in those early stages it is hard to imagine the graduation celebrations ahead, but they come faster than you can ever imagine! Promotion ceremonies and graduations, complete with caps & gowns, begin when preschoolers move up to kindergarten, kindergarteners head to first grade, sixth graders transition to junior high, middle schoolers move up to high school, high school students receive their diplomas and of course college graduates earning their degree. Each of these transitions is big in its own right and gives parents, family and friends the chance to acknowledge the hard work, commitment and achievements our children are making.

These are times we celebrate our children for all that they have accomplished but it is also a reminder that our kids are entering into new phases of their lives. Three of us at SBParent.com have kids graduating next week and thought we would each share something...

"Parents I know with older kids always warned me that the years go fast once your kids are in elementary school but I truly didn't believe it.  As my oldest daughter gears up for 6th grade graduation next week, I realize how true this is.  Six Spring Sings, one Sixth Grade Musical, seven Carnivals, seven jog a thons and seven wonderful teachers later, we have reached the end of her journey through elementary school.  It has been fun to watch her do all of the sixth grade activities that seemed so far off years ago: from selling ice cream on Fridays to being a cheerleader and going off to Astrocamp for a week with her classmates.  I will be sad to see her take the next step out of the comfort of elementary school but so excited to see her gain more independence and experience new adventures." ~Julie

"We are entering a new phase with our kids of cell phones, dating, multiple teachers and so much more. I started SBParent.com 8 years ago when my twin girls were 3 years old and now they are graduating from 6th grade. They have evolved from participating in our parenting events to now volunteering at these same events. I  think of all the moms I started off with 11 years ago in PEP when it seemed our children would stay babies forever. Our worries at that time were feedings, diaper changes and monitoring their behavior on play dates. Now the friendship issues are more intense, the interest in boys has begun, their bodies are starting to change and they want their independence. It is difficult to not want to hold on tighter as a mom but I also get so excited to watch them on this journey.  ~Rachael

"I have to admit that there was a time, before I had school-age children, when I would see kindergarten graduation items in the store and would find myself wondering about the fuss being made. Now, with children completing 6th, 4th and Kindergarten this year, I am one of those parents making a big deal of it all and making sure our family attends the various ceremonies at our school. Studies show that the success children see in grades K through 3 set them up for a lifetime love of learning; anything we can do to excite them about education early on and celebrate their milestones will hopefully get them one step closer to achieving their dreams and our dreams for them." ~Kim

GIFTS FOR THE GRADUATES... Books and gift cards to the bookstore are always great for younger graduates; many of the middle school and high school graduates I have talked to have simply said 'cash is king' regarding their gift wishes. I think for those graduating from high school there is an opportunity to get a little more creative. Recently I saw a gift card album - it looked like a photo album, but each sleeve had a different gift card to a store or restaurant. What a great gift for someone going off to college or starting out on their own! A gift pail (rather than a bag or box) can make giving fun. I have also seen some really cute laundry bags and baskets packed with detergent and a new set of towels helping the high school graduate begin with a clean start. Check out our Shopping Pages and our Product Reviews for more ideas.

THIS WEEKEND... Be sure and visit I Madonarri Italian Street Painting Festival this weekend in front of the Mission.  The festival benefits the Children's Creative Project, a nonprofit arts education program of the Santa Barbara County Education Office. The Project serves 50,000 children in more than 100 schools with visual and performing arts workshops and performances throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

SUMMER IS COMING... Graduations also mean that SCHOOL is OUT! What are you doing with your kids for the summer? Use our calendar to find great activities all summer long. Use the local family fun pages to explore Santa Barbara as a tourist. Use our Camp Guide to find great camps for your kids. Use the classifieds to find babysitters. Click on our Summer Tips for fun ideas shared by parents and learn about idea jars to keep your kids entertained.

Congratulations to all of our graduates!

Below is only a partial list of upcoming events and activities so be sure to click on our EVENT CALENDAR so you do not miss anything.

Use the PARENT PLANNER to click on events and resources you are interested in and click PRINT MY PLANNER to print or email your list.

Camp Calendar | School Schedules | Movie Showtimes

High School Graduation Ceremonies 2010

• La Cuesta and Alta Vista Alternative, June 2, 5:15 p.m., Courthouse Sunken Gardens.
• Dos Pueblos High School, June 3, 4:00 p.m., Scott O’Leary Stadium.
• San Marcos High School, June 3, 5:00 p.m., Valley Stadium.
• Santa Barbara High School, June 3, 6:00 p.m., Peabody Stadium.

Junior High School Promotion Ceremonies 2010

• Goleta Valley Junior High, June 3, 9:30 a.m., Art Circle.
• La Colina Junior High, June 3, 10:15 a.m., outdoor stage.
• La Cumbre Junior High, June 3, 10:00 a.m., front lawn.
• Santa Barbara Junior High, June 3, 10:00 a.m., athletic field.
• Community Day School , June 3, 4:00 p.m., place TBD.

Congratulations to Brianna Villasenor!
She won two tickets to "Women and the City" - a big night of fun sponsored by Women's Economic Ventures (WEV). She'll view a private, premiere screening of Sex and the City 2 and attend pre- and post-event parties this Friday, May 28th in Ventura.

Brianna's entry: "I would love to win the "Women and the City" night out on the town for me and my mom! My mom helps me out so much with my 2 1/2 year old son and she of course does it out of the love of her heart and won't accept any payment, but I don't know how else I can repay her. My husband and I work full-time at UCSB, and my mom also works full-time as a Kindergarten teacher, but whenever we need someone to watch my son, particularly when he's sick and can't go to daycare, she's so willing to step up and rearrange her schedule just for us so that we don't have to take too much time off of our already demanding jobs. She and I treated ourselves for a night out when the first SATC movie came out a couple of years ago (and for a drink) and that was the first time she had ever seen SATC (she doesn't get HBO and had never seen the show), and the first time she ever drank a cosmopolitan. I'd love to step it up a notch and take her out in style to see SATCII!"

It's not too late to join Brianna this weekend!
Click for details on how you can purchase tickets.

by Dan Brennan, MD
Pediatrics in Paradise

The school year is winding down and it's time to start planning your picture perfect Santa Barbara summer. Take the opportunity to combine some health-minded and family-oriented activities to make the most of paradise.

Daily exercise

Maybe you have been thinking of starting a new exercise routine? Now is the perfect time to treat yourself to daily walks, trail running or even stand-up paddle boarding.

The kids may enjoy a week or two of "hanging out" after the busy school year, but after a brief break think about signing them up for an activity camp. Our community has endless swim, soccer, dance and sports camp options.

Looking for fun-filled, family-friendly competition? Santa Barbara has several weekly events such as Nite Moves and Reef and Run that bring out scores of families to compete in age appropriate swimming and running events.

Enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of the season

Parents are always trying to entice their kids into eating more fruits and vegetables. Take the kids on a weekly field trip to one of our many farmers market to taste fresh, locally grown produce.

Got dirt? How about planting your own summer garden? Let the kids each pick out a plant at the nursery and let them water and nurture their very own tomato, corn or zucchini plants. Come harvest time, they'll be so proud to serve up their hard work.

Spend more time with the family

With longer summer days, you might be able to get home from work and still have enough daylight to do something with the kids. After a family dinner, consider a neighborhood walk or bike ride. On weekend mornings, select a new beach to explore tide pools, look for dolphins and collect shells.

Santa Barbara has so many family events. Be on the lookout for concerts in the park, Oak Park festivals and of course Solstice, Fourth of July and Fiesta.

Tourists from all around the world save up their money to bring their families to vacation in our town. Don't forget to take advantage of all of the healthy and fun family festivities that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Dr. Dan Brennan is a board certified pediatrician who loves living in paradise with his wife and two boys. His column can be found on alternating Fridays in the Daily Sound. To contact Dr. Brennan, please call 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.