Connect Grad and Dad

June is the month for "dads and grads." But don't forget that there is a right way and a wrong way to merge the two.

The wrong way is to show up at school, driving behind your daughter, who is riding a pony to combine celebrating her last day in high school with protesting something or other about gas. The police charged the two — but not the 20-year-old, blind in one eye equine beauty &mash; with breaching the peace. The father Ronald Friedson, 50, of Westport, Conn., claims it was about free speech. [Here's free speech: shut up, pay the fine, and don't make every dad look stupid.]

The preferred way to to be the ideal gift recipient, both dad and grad, like Robert Bucarey of Victorville, Calif. After years of wending his way through the halls of academia, Bucary, 45, got busy, got serious and received his diploma in the same ceremony as his son and daughter.

** Smart, not stupid. **