National Take Your Child to Work Day 2023 is Thursday, April 27th.
Observed on the fourth Thursday in April, the day serves as an opportunity for parents or guardians to expose their children to the workplace, providing them with an inside look into the daily responsibilities of the adults in their lives.
More than 40 million youth and adults in over 4 million workplaces around the world have participated in the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work program since its inception in 1993, according to the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation.
Dave Oliveria, the foundation’s interim president and executive director, told USA TODAY that “exposing children to the workforce at an early age can have significant benefits including being able to connect what they are learning in school to the work environment, expanded career options, and the opportunity to learn and grow in professional environments.”
Take your child to work even if you work from home
The pandemic, however, has forced many changes in the way people do their jobs, including remote work and 4 day-work weeks as alternative schedules. That’s led to a shift in how the National Take Your Child to Work Day initiative is implemented.
If you’re among the more than 27 million people who are working from home, your child can still have a meaningful experience going to work with you through virtual job shadowing and video conferences.
This year, the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation and Junior Achievement USA are partnering to connect children to employers for a real-world work experience. Outreach also includes historically disenfranchised students such as foster children, youth at high-risk of dropping out of school, or youth who may not have a parent or guardian whose job will allow them to bring children to work.
“The first teacher that children learn from are their parents,” says Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA .”It’s wonderful for them to be exposed to the careers that even their own parents do. Typically as parents, we don’t come home and talk to our children about what we do or how we manage our money, so the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Program creates a great opportunity.”
Tips for Take Your Child to Work Day
USA TODAY spoke to Oliveria, andKosakowski for their tips on how adults working from home can still create and participate in meaningful Take Your Child to Work Day experiences.
Here’s what they shared:
- National Take Your Child to Work Day is for everyone. If you don’t have children but you have the availability to participate in National Take Your Child to Work Day activities, don’t dismiss the opportunity to get involved. Your involvement could make a world of a difference for disenfranchised youth who may not have parents or whose parents may not be employed. Also, while the day can be very inspiring for elementary and middle school aged children, don’t forget about high school students. Exposure to career professionals and workplaces while in high school can help students understand and map their immediate next steps to achieve their career goals.
- Plan ahead: Reach out to your HR team and other colleagues to see if there is already programming scheduled on-site or remotely for National Take Your Child to Work Day. Some businesses may already have office tours, virtual meetings, and speakers for your young professional to participate in.
- Resources are available to help you: Junior Achievement USA and Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation provide resources, curriculum and learning materials that will supplement the experience that a parent is able to provide. Those include a sample excused absence form and agendas for the day.
- Take the opportunity to connect with your child in a new way. National Take Your Child to Work Day is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child in a way that you may have not done before. Don’t be afraid to share the challenges you face and to help your child overcome their roadblocks. As a parent, you know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. If they’re not interested in science, and you have a science focused job, you can make the subject real by showing them the relevancy of what they are learning in school.
- Have conversations with your child before and after the experience. Going into the work environment, having people explain what their jobs are and getting a sense of the work environment is a great experience. Be sure to prepare your child in advance so they know what to look for. Then, debrief afterwards. Sometimes students’ interpretation of what they see and what you see can be different. Leverage before and after discussions help tie the experience together.
- Businesses who decide to get involved are investing in the future of their industry. If your employer does not have National Take Your Child to Work Day activities, encourage them to get involved. It’s a wonderful opportunity to increase brand awareness and expose students to careers that are available in an industry.
To learn more about National Take Your Child to Work Day visit https://daughtersandsonstowork.org.
Brandon Griffin is Head of B2B Marketing for LOCALiQ UK. He is a success coach for young professionals and a member of the Junior Achievement Worldwide Global Council.
