I love and totally support “Take Your Child to Work Day”. When my son was growing up, he would constantly ask me what I do when I go to work. Explaining it was easy, but I don’t think he could imagine the way I would look or how I would talk, act or interact with the people I worked with. Whoever first convinced their employer to let them bring in their child should take a bow, because it has become widespread and accepted by a large number of forward thinking employers. My son now takes himself to work, and probably doesn’t ever think about what I do on a daily basis.
Feeling a little left out of this new yearly event, I watched other people’s children come to work with their mother and father. Living vicariously through them I experienced how much joy and pride their parents were feeling. Not actual jealously, but always just a touch of what if.
This year my niece mentioned that she would not be taking her daughter, Grace, to work with her and I jumped all over that. “Maybe Grace would like to come with me”, I offered. Believe it or not Grace was so thrilled she had to immediately pick out her outfit a week in advance. Bright and early she showed up on my doorstep for the trip to work with a backpack full of things to do, assuming she would be bored.
Grace was thrilled to see that other children had come to work and there were activities for them. They were designing greeting cards, working on a newsletter and touring the office. She discovered in one day what I have always known: that I work for a fabulous company. The company provided a pizza lunch for the children, but more importantly they allowed us the time to show the children the intricate workings of a company. The president even spent time interviewing the children. Grace never opened her backpack and informed me she would be coming again next year. High praise!
Three things I re-learned from taking Grace to work.:
1. It is never too late to experience something new.
2. You don’t have to be a parent to experience parental feelings.
3. Children will always surprise and delight you.
My recommendation to you would be take the time next year to experience the total delight of having a child with you at work. If don’t have your own child – borrow one. Parents are surprisingly ready to lend their children out free of charge.
I really appreciate the comment about borrowing other people’s children. I never had children, but my nieces and nephews would love to see what I do. I work at a veterinary office and they love animals. I believe I will ask my boss next year.
Great idea! I’m going to take my nephew to work for my next take your kid to work day. Now if I can figure out how to make my boring job fun.