You know how much I love my kid, right?
Well...
Even so, I must agree that she'd be better served by spending today at school instead of here at the office with me. Basically, Penelope Trunk's post about abolishing Take Your Child To Work Day is dead-on right about this activity being of problematic effectiveness.
I wrote a comment on her blog that I rather liked, so I'm copying it here:
I wrote a comment on her blog that I rather liked, so I'm copying it here:
I'm at work, with my daughter, right now. She's down the hall, playing her DS in somebody's empty office that I'm doing some work in. I had to come back to my office for a second to do something. As soon as I sit down at my computer, to do what I need to do for the person down the hall, my fingers automatically take me to my blogroll, because that's what they do. Every day.
Do I want my daughter to know that my fingers take me to my blogroll, every day, while I'm "at work"? No, I do not.
This is why I do not like Take Your Child To Work Day. Because I do not want my child to figure out exactly what...uh..."work"...I do at my desk, necessarily, while she is slaving away at school learning how to divide and what "simple machines" are, taking spelling tests, meeting her reading goal for the week.
It should be Take Your Child to Your Kickass Job Or Else Stay Away While We Slack Day. I mean, if she got to see me save the world or something, that'd be one thing. But watch me write another blog post? Meh. I'd rather she didn't know, thank you very much. Actually, what I'm doing for the person down the hall is pretty cool, if you care about unified communications and even know what a fax is. But she doesn't. And she couldn't care less. I know, because I tried to explain the relevancy to her. I basically got a big fat "Is it time for lunch yet? Oh, look! I just earned the diamond gem stone by killing Eviltor and now I'm on the top level of this game!" response.
Yes, this is an enlightening experience. But not for her. For me...in a does-my-job-totally-suck-and-is-my-kid-THAT-pathetic kind of way. So, yes. I'm with you. Let's abolish this thing. This TYCTWD is not helping either of us.
Do I want my daughter to know that my fingers take me to my blogroll, every day, while I'm "at work"? No, I do not.
This is why I do not like Take Your Child To Work Day. Because I do not want my child to figure out exactly what...uh..."work"...I do at my desk, necessarily, while she is slaving away at school learning how to divide and what "simple machines" are, taking spelling tests, meeting her reading goal for the week.
It should be Take Your Child to Your Kickass Job Or Else Stay Away While We Slack Day. I mean, if she got to see me save the world or something, that'd be one thing. But watch me write another blog post? Meh. I'd rather she didn't know, thank you very much. Actually, what I'm doing for the person down the hall is pretty cool, if you care about unified communications and even know what a fax is. But she doesn't. And she couldn't care less. I know, because I tried to explain the relevancy to her. I basically got a big fat "Is it time for lunch yet? Oh, look! I just earned the diamond gem stone by killing Eviltor and now I'm on the top level of this game!" response.
Yes, this is an enlightening experience. But not for her. For me...in a does-my-job-totally-suck-and-is-my-kid-THAT-pathetic kind of way. So, yes. I'm with you. Let's abolish this thing. This TYCTWD is not helping either of us.
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9 comments:
The only time I take Mr. M to work is when he is sick or it's a snow day. I can't imagine bringing him by choice. The last time he came with me, he brought his Leapster and kept losing the game. Cross-examining a police officer while your kid is right outside the door acting like he's having an unanesthetized root canal is umm . . . well, distracting.
Here is what happens to me when I take my child to work. It is annoying and should be avoided at all costs.
http://blognut-moremindlessrambling.blogspot.com/2009/04/it-walks-it-talks-and-is-distracted-by.html
Oh, I know! I read that post. I first commented to you because of that post. I recognized you as an ADD_Sister because of that post. Yeah, I know that post. It rocked.
So grateful that they don't allow it here where I work.
oh man, that is funny, never thought about that- probably because I don't have a job and until seven months ago, didn't have a kid.
BUT I remember going to work with my dad as a kid and I LOVED to see him in action and meet the people he spends all day with. I think it is kind of helpful to introduce children to real life at the office. But then again, I think going to work with my lawyer dad convinced me to go to lawschool-- cant exactly say that was the best decision ever...
Remember years ago when it was called "take your DAUGHTER to work day"? Back when it was designed to show girls that they COULD work in the world and be anything they wanted. I'm curious what the point is anymore...
I can't imagine taking kids to work when I was in software/IT. B-O-R-I-N-G. Since I did much of my stuff over the phone, keeping track of a little kid would have been impossible.
Mr Hyphen,on the other hand, CANNOT WAIT to take his kids to work. We've stipulated that they can't join him until they're 10 or older. Otherwise it might annoy people having a 5 year old in the cockpit... but she's really a good flyer... no, really. =)
I tried when my boys were younger - they were bored silly and made it hard for me to actually work...
Not only was this completely honest (and I admire you for that) it was funny (as you almost always are)! At least your kid knows you work. My kid has no idea what I do!
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