TODSWD - Sparking Aha! Moments

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (TODSWD) occurs in the US on the 4th Thursday in April. This year it takes place on April 28th and the theme is Sparking Aha! Moments. The idea is that parents take their kids work in order to expose them to careers held by them and their coworkers and focuses on expanding their future opportunities. When done well, kids return to the classroom the next day full of cool stories about the people they met and the things they learned about themselves. In order to prepare for a purposeful TODSWD, we’ve assembled a list of tips for the organization.

  1. Make sure the organization has prearranged an agenda for the day and that parents aren’t just arranging play dates.
  2. Expand outside your own children to invite underserved and underrepresented youth from housing authorities and shelters, nieces and nephews, neighbors and friends, and grand kids.
  3. Take the opportunity to practice workplace communications skills. Coach kids to make eye contact, say hello, and shake hands as they are introduced to the adult workers, mentors, and volunteers.
  4. Consider interactive sessions and hands-on workshops based on the expertise of different departments. The Bright Ideas Guide from the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation can give you a ton of cool ideas.
  5. Encourage kids to reflect on their experience in the workplace and to share what they learned with their peers back in the classroom.
  6. Provide gifts as a reminder of the day. Couragion’s career exploration app is a great gift idea that ensures kids continue to be exposed to new careers beyond just one day each year.

This year Couragion will join forces with Silicon STEM Academy and Colorado Young Leaders at Hosting.com – a technology company that provides always-on compliant cloud solutions empowering 2000+ global clients. The TODSWD program will include a datacenter tour, sessions on internet safety and company culture, a coding academy, and a career exploration workshop. Hosting.com has purchased Couragion for each participating kid to expand their career planning and readiness. Is your organization looking for the perfect gift for TODSWD? There is still time to give the gift of Couragion. 

Melissa Risteff