Does your school participate in this program? Personally, I think it's STUPID! It started off years ago as "Take your DAUGHTER to work day" as a way of showing young girls (middle school age) about the workplace and such. I guess some parents of sons felt this was sexist, and it evolved into 'take your child to work' ... and then it dropped down to elementary school. With middle-school age girls, there are things at work they could help with ... answering phones, filing. Elementary age kids (boys especially) are very limited. And, there doesn't even seem to be the intent on 'teaching' them anything ... just basically giving them a day off of school. Heck, they aren't even required to write a report about what they did or what they learned. Kevin came home with a permission slip which outlined (briefly) the program, saying this was for kids ages 9-14 ... and on the back, you sign whether or not your child will participate. Kelli came home with the same 'permission slip' without the 'description' on the back. SO, she, at age SEVEN is allowed to participate as well.

Well, this may be all well and good for the school, but quite frankly, it's a serious imposition to the parent. Some parents might have the type of job where it's o.k. to have a kid hang around all day. DH, if he didn't have appointments and such, could possibly do this. But I'm already trying to fit a full time job into 6 hours, I'm under a tremendous amount of stress, and the last thing I need are a couple of kids (even my own) under foot to add to that stress level. They can't help. Last year, Kevin came to the office, and I was miserable. He behaved well enough, but was essentially bored. (I did have him alphabetize some files, but that took less than 30 min.) One kid was there playing on the Internet. What's that all about? I know some SAHMs that are just letting their kids stay home ... but, are they doing household chores or something? Heck no. So, my question is WHAT EXACTLY IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS? Is it a way of giving teachers an extra work day with limited students? Are the kids actually supposed to 'learn' something from this experience? I don't mind (heck, I enjoy) spending a day with my kids ... but not at my office.

So, I've already made the decision that Kelli is not going. I'm sorry, but that just isn't going to work. She cannot do anything to help, it would be a free for all day for her and a stressful day for me ... and since she isn't even 9, she isn't old enough to participate in this anyway! But with Kevin, I'm torn ... he's really angry because most of his friends aren't going to school. SO, either I let him go to work with me and hope for the best, or I make him go to school where he'll be one of only a handful of kids, and deal with his anger.

I just think that this entire 'program' has gotten out of hand and gotten away from the original intent. AND, it's the parent who becomes the 'bad guy' for not participating.

Nancy