Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is a national event in the United States that takes place every year on the fourth Thursday of April. The day is organized by the Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation, and it is part of an educational program that encourages parents to take their children with them to their work for a whole day, with the purpose of showing them workplace environments and the value of jobs. The day was known as Take your Daughters to Work until 2003 when sons were included as well.
It is not a public holiday, and businesses and schools remain open.
History
The day was originally created in 1992 by Marie Wilson and Gloria Steinem of the Ms. Foundation for Women, as at the time girls and women were excluded from many professions and job opportunities were limited for them, the goal of this day was for girls to be exposed to different workplaces and environments, and give them a boost of self-esteem upon seeing all the roles they were capable of doing. The first observance of the holiday happened on April 22, 1993.
In 2003 the name of the holiday was changed to include Sons as well, although most companies were already accepting both daughters and sons to participate in what they called Take Our Children to Work Day. This change happened after pressure from schools that refused to participate in the activities until boys were encouraged to participate as well. It was deemed important for all children to be allowed to take part in the holiday, as they would be allowed to explore different careers when more flexible about gender roles.
In 2007 the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Program became its separate foundation, although original members of Ms. Foundation for Women still remain on the board of directors.
In the United States 37 million children, parents and schools and 3.5 million workplaces participate in Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. The Program also encourages workplaces to invite children from shelters to participate, as they otherwise would have little opportunity to witness how workplaces function.
How it is observed
This is a day for parents to show their children what their jobs entail, and have them participate in some of the job's tasks to give them an idea of what being part of the workforce is like. Children also get a feel of what a work environment is like and get to meet people with different job titles, which gives them an idea of all the opportunities that await them when they join the job market.
