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I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, and attended a parish which was one of the largest in the Chicago Archdiocese. In our church, confirmation is a two-year process. You start on your journey in the 7th grade, and you make your confirmation at the end of 8th grade. I never questioned that I wanted to be confirmed. My brothers essentially went along with the idea to a) make my parents happy, b) attend the confirmation retreat (which was a free get-out-of school day) and c) get the presents they weren't going to get for graduation. On my parents' part, it was expected that since they were raising us Catholic, we would be confirmed.
After I graduated from college, I went back and taught 8th grade CCD for a while. Although there were a few kids who decided not to make their confirmations, most did. My hometown is overwhelming Catholic - over 90%, and is populated by a lot of former Southside Irish, Poles, and Italians. Tradition is important. If you decide not to send your kids to the Catholic school (which is a good school, but no better than at least two of the public schools here), you send your kids to CCD. They make their Communion in 3rd grade, First Confession in 4th, and they are Confirmed in 8th. Period.
I still attend the church, although I do not agree 100% with all of its teachings. I have looked into other churches and worship styles, but I feel most comfortable here. I find beauty in the service and in the worship of God, and tend to ignore the things I don't agree with. I don't think there's a perfect religion; no matter how inspired any one sect is, it is still being run by fallable humans. I found the religion that works for me, and I am happy that I was Confirmed. Other people in my class have converted to different religions, and I think that's good too. God can be worshiped in many different ways, and there are many beautiful ways to seek him.
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