Thursday: Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work

It's often said that you can't be what you can't see. That goes for our daughters and sons.

On Thursday, April 26, millions of workplaces, employees, parents and children will participate in the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work? program.

For 25 years, Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work has inspired kids to see themselves in our offices, conference rooms and organizations. Parents, mentors and kids spend the day together dreaming, thinking and talking about work, the value of education and the paths they can take to accomplish their goals.

What began as a bring your daughter to work day in the 1990s has morphed into bringing both girls and boys to work. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss gender equity with kids and allows them to see firsthand how men and women succeed in and balance their various roles at home, school, in the workplace and the community.

On the eve of Take Our Daughters And Sons to Work Day, I’d like to explore best practices in programming. What makes a program one that our children want to attend? How do we instill an understanding and appreciation of gender equity in our children? What goals does your organization have for the program? My takeaways include:

• Visualize. It's often said that you can't be what you can't see. It's empowering to show young girls the possibilities available to them, while also encouraging gender equal mindsets in young boys.
• Conversation Starters. Exposing girls and boys to what a parent or mentor does during the work day is a powerful way to start conversations with our daughters and sons about their future - education, interests and career possibilities.
• Gender Equity. Understanding and promoting gender equity. Taking our kids to work can widen the perspectives of fathers who want to advocate for their daughters and mothers who want to raise their sons with an understanding of gender equity in the workplace.

I would appreciate your feedback and ideas. In the comment section below, please share your thoughts. What’s the most impactful Take Your Child to Work program your child participated in? What did your organization do this year that created positive post-event buzz and conversations?

Jeffery Tobias Halter the country’s leading expert on engaging men to advance women. He is the President of YWomen, a strategic consulting company that helps organizations create Integrated Women’s Leadership Strategies, drive actionable business plans and strategies to attract, retain and advance women and address gender bias in the workplace. To access where your company is, download Jeffery’s 30-point Readiness Assessment. To begin conversations about gender, diversity and cultivating male allies, subscribe to his Gender Conversation QuickStartersnewsletter. To determine where you are on the male ally continuum, take the Male Advocacy Profile.