Last week was “take your kid to work day,” an event I am glad to have missed. On the face of it, this pseudo-holiday seems like an opportunity for some familial bonding, lesson learning, and maybe some free food if you’re lucky. But really, it’s none of these- except, well, maybe the food. Parents feel pressured to comply, and so they waste untold productivity by having to deal with what is very likely a nuisance they deal with enough outside of work. Said nuisances miss out on school, but end up sitting in uncomfortable chairs, watching their parents input data into an excel spreadsheet. Granted, some jobs are more interesting than that. But if that’s your argument, why not just take a class-wide field trip somewhere exciting? That way, the opportunity can be educational and worthwhile. Plus, the tension created as a product of children squeaks and deplorable work-related tasks can be averted completely.
- Will