Take Our Daughters to Work, at Home or at the Office
By Cheryl Gochnauer

Thursday, April 27 marks "Take Our Daughters to Work Day." 

The Ms. Foundation for Women started this popular program in 1992, and notes that benefits include "boosting girls' self-confidence and self-esteem, exposure to different opportunities in the business world, and exposure to non-traditional careers."

What an excellent idea in this age of expanding diversity.  But let's not trample those "traditional careers" in our rush to see what else is available to us.

In a recent messageboard posting at the Homebodies website (www.homebodies.org), a stay-at-home mom mentioned that while other classmates were allowed to have the day off to visit their working parents' offices, her daughter would be marked "unexcused" if her trek took her back to her own house.

As you can imagine, spirited responses flew as other stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) logged on, sharing their own experiences.  The overwhelming consensus?  My job is just as vital as one performed outside the home. 

"I want to spend 'Take Our Daughters to Work Day' with my oldest child so
she can see that many of the same skills needed in the work force are needed
at home," says Merrie, a Homebodies reader.

"I use a Day-Runner and organize my time effectively.  I want her to help me
plan a week's menus around the sales flyers and a tight budget, while also
keeping everyone's health and well-being in mind.

"I have to evaluate and determine long range and short term goals, just like
you would for work projects.  I want my daughter to field phone calls from the school health nurse, the guidance counselor and various booster and PTA clubs with PR skills.  I want her to think through how she would pick up four different children from four different points in town, then get them all to the next destination, safely and on time, all at the same time.

"I want her to see that keeping track of all the different teachers, homework assignments and work schedules is no easy feat.  Running a household, especially with older children, is like running a small corporation!"

Rhonda, whose four school-aged children range from kindergartner to freshman, says, "I want my daughter to know that, yes, being a full-time wife and mother is a perfectly acceptable life-choice. I've proven that by devoting most of the last 15 years to my family. 

"But I also want my daughter to know that she has other choices, too.  I will encourage her to get an education in whatever field she chooses.  She can be a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher (like her mom), or a forest ranger if she wants.  She does not have to limit her dreams to 'girl' jobs.

"Perhaps she will choose to work in her field part-time while she raises a family.  Perhaps she will be a full-time SAHM for a few years, then return to her profession.  Perhaps she will decide that being a SAHM is the life for her as long as she has children living at home. 

"I just want to give her the choice of what to do with her life."

For more information about Take Our Daughters to Work Day, visit
www.takeourdaughterstowork.org.

(To receive this column as a free e-mail newsletter, write Cheryl at
cgochnau@sky.net.  Copyright 2000 Cheryl Gochnauer.)

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