Schools would prefer `keep your children in class' dayI already had a take your son to work day this year. (Through necessity, not for educational purposes. And, boy was he thrilled helping stuff the parish Christmas mailing.)

On the one hand, I think it is a good idea for children to know what their parents do all day. My dad worked out of our home for most of my life, so I was always a bit taken aback by childhood friends who didn’t know what their dads did.

On the other hand, I don’t think children should be given the impression (with its original feminist intent) that remunerative work is the only kind that counts. It is that hand that had me keep some of my girls out of school on “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” just to follow me around. Sure they probably had a pretty good grasp of ‘mothers’ work,’ but I saw no reason that girls with mothers who were paid to work outside of the home should get a day off of school while other girls were forced to attend class. And I’m a bit of a contrarian, so I enjoyed sending the official written excuse.

On the other hand, (am I encroaching into Ganesh territory here?) it sounds like this official “day” has become a nightmare of sorts for many large corporations. And not necessarily the educational experience it should be. It is lovely of businesses to prepare special activities but do these activities give an accurate picture of what the work day is like? (I believe that when Eddie came to work with me we were already in the pre-Christmas avalanche of chocolates, cookies and other treats too numerous for the priests to eat by themselves. I certainly hope that I disabused him of the notion that we sit around eating an endless supply of bon-bons. Or that the priests do nothing but say Mass on Sunday and spend the other 6 days of the week awaiting plates of exquisite sweets.)

Then, on the next hand, I have a certain respect for playing by the rules of the school system that you participate in and not taking rogue holidays. But I also have a jaundiced eye when it comes to school attendance, how much time is actually spent on instruction and what the frantic administrators really mean when they voice their concerns about attendance.

All hands considered, I’m glad we’re homeschooling and I don’t even have to think about it.