Work-life balance is about working and living. If we are willing to take a day in our busy work schedules to bring out sons and daughters to work maybe we can remind ourselves of this and that we can fully participate in our workplaces and families!

Did you know that this Thursday, April 26th, is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day? Are you planning to participate?

According to the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day program was founded to create an opportunity for girls and boys to share and communicate their expectations for the future.

Here are some statistics about the program:

• Approximately 12% of employed Americans participated in the program in 2005 (the last year results are available) by bringing a boy or girl to work, meaning an estimated 16.2 million people took part in the program.

• 2.9 million companies participated in the 2005 program.

• 82 percent of adults aware of the day believe that the day is an educational experience for participating youth.

• 78 percent of adults aware agree that the day opens doors for youth who participate, exposing them to new opportunities.

I found it interesting when I went to the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day Website and read about the program. Here’s what it said:

“As adults we often face the challenge of balancing work, family, community, and personal responsibilities. We often have to make decisions about working late, leaving work early to pick up a sick child from school or attend a school play, or providing the best care for a sick parent or relative. Sometimes these decisions are easy, and sometimes they may be difficult or complicated. The Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® program encourages our nation’s daughters and sons to think about these issues. Through activities designed specifically for the program we can begin a constructive, solution-oriented conversation with our children about the challenges of daily life.”

I think what this program does – in fact, what this day does – is that it encourages our nation’s parents to think about these issues – the challenge of balancing work, family, community, and personal responsibilities.

If we’re willing to take a day in our increasingly-busy work schedules to bring our sons and daughters to work, maybe, just maybe we’ve reminded ourselves that we can fully participate in our workplaces and families – that work-life balance is about working and living.