What the heck is a clap-out and why don't we have one?

Just saw someone on Facebook post photos of their daughter's "clap-out" at elementary school. Excuse me? What's a clap-out? I imagined all the kids walking out of elementary school and everyone clapping on their way out.

So I Googled it, and I was right. The oldest grade parades out of school on their last day and everyone applauds. I read about moms breaking down at their kids' clap-out. I read about moms THINKING about their kids' clap-out and breaking down. And I suddenly got emotional too.

I cannot believe that we are done with elementary school. Yeah yeah, I only have two kids, but it's gone by so fast. There's no graduation in our school district... no pomp and circumstance, no caps and gowns, no moving up day to the middle school for outgoing fourth graders last week. I suddenly found myself desperately wanting a clap-out, to celebrate my beautiful daughter's accomplishments. I love graduations. I'd cry even if it was the graduation of people I didn't know.

Of course, I'm still proud of the girl. She has a great head on her shoulders. She's confident, smart, funny and a loyal friend. To me, and to her brother, to the husband, to her friends and to everyone. My graduation gift to her? I will regret this for the next, um, forever, but it was her very own Facebook account. A mistake? Probably. I have panic attacks about it constantly. But she's thrilled: It makes her feel grown up for some reason, and she earned it. I'm so happy for her.

But I'll be pissed if I find out that the school district starts doing clap-outs for the fourth graders next year.