Take Your Child To Work Day

Every year, Jake makes me aware of Take Your Child To Work Day the night before it happens.  Which, as you can imagine, makes it very hard to pull off.  The first year he could do it, I worked for Geek Squad.  I wasn't allowed to take him with me because I drove a company vehicle and he was not allowed to ride in it.  The second year, last year, I worked at a bank, and for obvious safety reason, he couldn't come with me there either.  This year, he had this grand plan that he would spend half the day with me and half the day with his Aunt Bear (my sister Kelli).  I work at a pediatric doctor's office, and Kelli is a PA at a orthopedics office.  Problem there - HIPPA rules.  So, Jake couldn't come with me then either.  So we look at the alternatives.  Grandma works at home, Aunt Kristy works at home, Uncle Jon works part time and usually in the evening, and his dad works at Geek Squad (which poses the same problem as when I worked there).  That brings us to Pap.  Pap works part time at the local community college teaching mainly computer classes for the Institute for Learning in Retirement.  On this particular day, my dad was teaching a class from 9am - 12pm on Digital Photography.  We told Jake that he should follow along with Pap as he taught the class and do the work that Pap told the class to do as much as he could.  Dad told him that if he got lost that he could just play some computer games until the class was over.  Well, as Dad started the class, he instructed everyone to create a folder and name it Digital Photography.  Jake raises his hand, and my dad calls on him and says, "Yes, Jacob?" Jake says, "Umm...how do you spell digital?"  Apparently, some of the other students helped Jacob through doing some of the activities, but he eventually just played computer games.  

As much as he enjoyed getting out of school and going to class with his Pap, he was still disappointed to not be able to go to work with me or Aunt Bear.  Kelli was sharing the story with one of her regular patients, and the woman offered to allow Jake to come in to her next appointment.  Kelli worked out the details and Jake arrived at her office the following week for the evening appointment.  Jake was decked out in scrubs (c/o Aunt Bear) and was sent in to introduce himself to the patient.  He was able to assist with the conversation and prepping the patient for a cortisone injection.  No worries - he didn't actually perform any medical procedure.  But he sure felt important.  I love it when I get to be there and see Jake participate in activities that will make memories for him to keep for many many years to come.  Thirty years from now, he'll be sitting at some family event and say, "Hey Mom.  Remember when Aunt Bear took me to work with her?"  Thanks, Aunt Bear!