March 13, 2008
Bring Your Son Or Daughter To Work Day – Not Just For Kids
As a kid, I looked forward to Bring Your Daughter To Work Day – a day when I got to skip school to hang out with Mom and Dad at their workplaces. Dad’s office included a huge collection of art supplies and Mom had a co-worker with a seemingly bottomless drawer full of candy bars. Candy and coloring aside, the day was designed to introduce young girls to the world of work and careers – presenting future opportunities while fostering ambition and interest in work.
Lately I’ve reinstated the tradition, spending a day with my mom at her work whenever I travel home for a visit. I’ve found that it’s much more interesting and beneficial now that I’ve studied business and can understand what she does and how the company operates. It’s sort of like a one day internship. For example, last time I spent a day with her, she introduced me to a co-worker who was trained in the practices of Six Sigma. I had only studied the program in the context of manufacturing, so I asked about its application to a service-providing corporation. She explained its uses and presto! – I had learned a real-world business lesson.
Spending a day with a parent (or uncle, or godmother, etc.) as an adult can be a very valuable experience and a chance to apply concepts learned in college outside of the classroom. Of course, it’s helpful if your parent works in a field somewhat related to your chosen career path, but even if they don’t, I’m sure there are plenty of lessons to be learned. It’s also an opportunity to see another aspect of your parent’s life. So next time you’re home, see if there’s time to squeeze in a day with dad or mom at work. You never know what benefits it might bring you. If you’re lucky, you’ll pick up some new knowledge and find a co-worker with a candy drawer.
Save The Lobsters! 
Alix said,
March 13, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I wish I still had access to that bottomless candy drawer.