Yesterday marked “Bring Your Child to Work Day.” For the first time, MW hosted programming for employees’ kids to come in and spend time with each of our departments while learning a little bit of the Werkers’ lifestyles. I got to spend some time with the kids when we had them create logos for themselves.
And I finally figured out why Mom was also so persistent in bringing me. Because adults that bring kids get a much needed free-esque day in the office. I was super jealous the whole time. But it wasn’t because of my co-workers–it was their kids.
This day used to be one of my favorites growing up. It meant a free day out of school. A day to color with Art Directors and swing on the wooden swing behind the Travel Company building at Maritz. I can remember standing in a TV studio not really paying attention, because I was so entranced with the lights. I can remember meeting Mom’s friends who were “copywriters” and thinking they did things like “© 1994.”
Looking back, I saw those days as more of just a time I got to dress up and pretend to be something other than a kid. Little did I know how much those “copywriters” at Maritz would affect my life and career. So thanks Mom for always pushing me to go. For showing me that a cafeteria doesn’t necessarily mean an elementary cafeteria (though it often does). And thanks for showing me your secret hideaways at work. All of these moments instilled in me that you can have a messy desk full of toys and still be productive. You can walk away and shoot out zingers while still being highly respected by your co-workers. And that a day at the office where you weren’t ready to pull your hair out and wasn’t spent 50% of the time laughing, is not complete.
Thanks for all that. But should I lose those lessons between now and next year, you might be the recorded employee with the eldest child at the annual day.
Hanna (Non)Tana 