Over the years I've required (much to their dismay) all of my kids to take individual as well as team photos for every team they've been on. I have collected school projects, anything that had their handprint on it, cute drawings and a vast collection of hand-drawn birthday and mother's day cards. I have a tub designated for each kid's memories. As I collect all of their important things I say "Put this in your tub." I have assumed this was being done. As I've frantically searched over the last few days for things for my son's graduation party, I would like to impart some wisdom for those of you with younger children.
    1. Do not, under any circumstances, assume these memories are as important to your child as they are to you.
    2. Do not underestimate how lazy children can be. It's much easier to throw something in a convenient place than it is to find a tub with your name on it and put items in it.
    3. Don't assume ANYTHING when it comes to kids.
    4. Start looking for things for the graduation party as soon as your child starts high school. It will take you that long.
    5. A grad party is still a grad party even if you don't have all the pictures of everything your child did while in high school.
    6. You can still be a good mom, even if you've lost, or haven't taken, a bunch of pictures. Relax, you're doing fine.

    Addendum: These items will be utterly and completely unimportant to your child until the morning of the graduation party, when he will suddenly become intent on finding everything that "you lost".

    Motherhood is fun.