On the fourth Thursday of each April, more than 37 million employees at over 3.5 million U.S. workplaces participate in Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Today marks the program’s twenty-first anniversary.
Originally called the Take Our Daughters to Work Program, founded by Gloria Steinem and the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1993, the concept was created in response to research that found many girls lacked confidence and were dropping out of school by the eighth grade. Ten years later the name was changed to Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work so that boys, who are subject to many of the same problems, could also participate.
“We want the kids, parents, teachers and workplaces to all help students see the value of their education by linking it to the world of work,” says Carolyn McKecuen, president of the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation. “Kids say, ‘I want to be a doctor,’ but they don’t always realize what it takes to get there. This day gives them the opportunity to learn and be exposed to their dream jobs. It teaches them that they have to start working toward that goal now, and that getting C’s in school won’t cut it.”
The day is also designed to encourage children to educate one another. “Teachers usually ask students to write about their experience or fill out a questionnaire and share it with their classmates the next day,” McKecuen says. “This allows each student to reflect on their own experience while also teaching their peers about it.”
Lynn Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant and national workplace expert, says: “This day gives children and young adults a window into the real workplace versus what they’ve witnessed through TV, films or adult conversations. It allows them to see firsthand how adults serve a useful role in society; that there is a team fabric; and ideally, a sense of community. Equally important is the pride derived by seeing parents perform useful functions. It sets up a memorable and inspiring role model scenario for the value of work.”
The program is called Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work because people are encouraged to invite children other than their own to participate. “All daughters and sons should be able to take part in the program,” McKecuen says. Invite your niece or nephew, neighbors, friends or children from housing authorities and shelters. “Your child might not want to go to your workplace every year for 10 years in a row. In that case, ask a friend or neighbor or family member who has a job your child is interested in if they would take him or her to work.”
Since the suggested participant age range is 8 to 18, those at the upper end can get a valuable sense of what to expect during summer or part-time college jobs, Taylor says. “Learnings such as protocol, professionalism and respect for authority are the more subtle takeaways that these young participants may not otherwise experience. This effort also shows our youth how their education leads to a reward – not just in pay – but in terms of gratification and making a difference.” It’s a reminder that the better educated they become, the more empowered and successful they’ll be.
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