From Octopus Games to Graduation: A Decade of Watching Everett Grow

It feels like it was only yesterday that Everett and I were walking hand-in-hand to school, his tiny three-year-old legs full of energy, his voice bursting with excitement as he recounted the “octopus game” he had played in gym class. That memory feels so close I can still hear the joy in his voice, and yet, somehow, we blinked and arrived at June 19th, 2025 packed in an auditorium for his Grade 8 graduation. 

Just like that, the elementary school chapter of his life is over. And I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that a high schooler now lives in this house. Everett started junior kindergarten back in 2015. As our oldest and as a kid who never went to daycare. he walked into school with no clear idea what it even was. 

I still remember him, a week into this strange new world, turning to me and asking with absolute seriousness, “Is this my life now?” That first year was a big adjustment, especially socially, but even then, he was brimming with curiosity. There was a hunger for learning that helped guide him through even the toughest transitions. 

Watching him grow over the past ten years has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I’ve watched him step fearlessly into new experiences and bravely leap into unknown situations. He tried out for sports teams he wasn’t sure he’d make, he volunteered for things outside his comfort zone, and he kept showing up, again and again, with open arms and an open heart. 

I’ve seen him embrace new students who were nervous and alone. I’ve watched him offer help to classmates struggling academically. He’s shown a constant willingness to understand and include. Those are golden qualities I admire most in him. 

Of course, on graduation night, there were awards, though not gold. Everett won four of them. He walked away with the French Award, the Performing Arts Award, the Mathematics Award, and the General Proficiency Award. Each time they called his name, my heart nearly burst out of my chest. He worked hard, he grew so much, and he earned every bit of that moment. 

I am beyond proud of all that he’s achieved, but even more, for the young man he has become. Creative. Kind. Curious. Empathetic. Driven. And still wonderfully, uniquely Everett. 

Now, summer stretches ahead. He has a new high school adventure waiting in September. He has a packed summer that will give him little time to breathe and contemplate that fact. His first wild summer adventure has started, he’s already embarked on a three weeks in Quebec for a French immersion program. We've been graced with a few phone calls and know he’s thriving and loving it. Just one more chapter in a year already full of milestones. 

As for me, I’ve got the next few months to emotionally catch up to the fact that I’m parenting a high school student now. Wish me luck.