Take Your Child to Work Day

The third Thursday of April is “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” where employees across the country bring their children to work offering a valuable opportunity for these daughters and sons to observe their parents in a different light.

Originally started as “Take your Daughter to Work Day” in 1993; the message was to help “empower” women (and young girls) to view the various roles offered to women. It was still a time when women were either supposed to be a “stay at home mom”, or if you were a professional, the best you were offered was to be a Secretary – now referred to Administrative Assistants.  A few years later, in 2003, it became inclusive as “Take your Child to Work Day”.  It is a great way to empower our kids to learn about the many career choices they have opened to them in later years,

There can be some very positive influences while bringing your child to work with you; and also, some quite negative aspects!  Often your child may wonder what exactly does Mommy or Daddy do when they go off to work after they drop me off at school. It is a chance for them to see you in a different, productive role outside our familiar roles at home.

When my daughter Kelly was in High School, right near my office, I did bring her to my office, which she was already familiar with as she would, at times, stop by after school.  At the time, I was working in the Stock Market with Financial Analysts. Kelly would help with filing, helping record Sales, always ready to help.

At the other end of the spectrum, was the negative aspect of “Take your Child to Work Day”.  Many of the fathers would bring their child to work, but it wasn’t a day of working with Daddy or Mommy.  As soon as they would walk into the Office their child was left at my desk, and the other Administrative Assistants would also become “baby sitter’s” for the day! I was often spouting the words “Please do not touch that”; “Please don’t play with the keyboard”, etc. I think my favorite was one broker’s son who discovered he could shoot staples across the room. Not exactly what Gloria Steinem intended when she started this day to help empower young girls into a world unfamiliar to them. 

 I came across these two humorous cards that I wanted to share that says it all!