The caps and gowns are pressed, the diplomas are printed and families are gathering from around the country to celebrate a young person's first steps into a new world.

This month, many of our children are graduating from high school or college and beginning their next stage of life.

Rituals of entering adulthood have always been around in one form or another. Whether spiritually or educationally, the day our child leaves one world and enters another, so do we.

Graduations are an important rite of passage. They give your child a sense of pride that can be truly life-changing. To have embarked on and completed such a challenging journey is an experience that will serve your child his or her whole life through.

If your kids are graduating from college, they are now officially becoming adults. Most will enter the work force, some will go on to graduate school and others will choose to travel. In some way, they are all moving to another level in their lives. It's both exciting and scary.

I think we have two jobs as parents. The first is to teach our children to be kind to one another. The second is to teach them how to live without us.

And sometimes life itself is not so kind. All parents hope for the same things at their child's graduation. They hope their children have learned how to deal with this complicated thing we call life. They hope they are at least somewhat prepared to be let loose into the real world, where they will be making their own decisions and reaping the results.

Graduation is a time that is full of hope, and it's important to acknowledge this moment. I suggest celebrating your child's graduation as a family event. Make it a shared experience that you will all remember the rest of your lives.

One final tip: Whenever your child receives a diploma, whether it be from elementary or graduate school, have it nicely framed as soon as possible and get it up on the wall. It will serve as a reminder of a significant accomplishment and as an inspiration to accomplish more.

A friend of mine called to invite me to her son's graduation from kindergarten. The whole clan is flying in. Even though this may seem a little over the top, any time a loving family can get together and share in a celebration of achieving a goal, it strengthens the ties that bind.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., author of "Emotional Fitness for Couples" can be reached at 818-879-9996 or via e-mail at Barton@BartonGoldsmith.com. He has resided and practiced in Westlake Village for over a decade. Hear him live on KCLU Radio, 88.3FM, from 2 to 3 p.m. Mondays.