When children visit their parents at work

Children get an opportunity to see how their parents work. PHOTO I ELIZABETH TUNGARAZA

What you need to know:

  • Parents are undeniably their children’s first role models. As children’s brains start to absorb and understand things, they see their parents as their role models. Indeed, as livestrong.com puts it, “parents become role models not only through direct interactions with their children but also through examples they set with their attitude and behaviour within the family and in the outside world”.

Babies are born with no understanding of what surrounds them, they start filling in their minds little things they come across as they grow up. The first school is their home and family members are their first teachers.

Parents are undeniably their children’s first role models. As children’s brains start to absorb and understand things, they see their parents as their role models. Indeed, as livestrong.com puts it, “parents become role models not only through direct interactions with their children but also through examples they set with their attitude and behaviour within the family and in the outside world”.

Parents are the ones who address their concerns, sharing their lives, and maintaining a constructive perspective. Most children would tell you that they want to be like their parents when they grow up. This is due to the fact that parents can contribute to their children’s personal growth and development.

It is unfortunate that most parents do not see the importance of exposing their children to their work environment. However, such an act is as important as sending them to school.

“Taking children to their parent’s office would inspire them to strive to learn and develop their dreams at a young age,” says Emmanuel Akunay while observing children asking questions to staff at the Human Resources department when children, whose parents work at the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) head office in Dar es Salaam toured the office.

Lilian Kisamba, a Cooperate Social Responsibility Project Manager, says the children’s tour at the bank’s headquarter was not just a coincidence. According to her, “Bring Your Child to Work Day” is a programme aimed to inspire children to succeed in their future life by learning from their parents.

“We have established the programme this year and we are expecting to do it once every year. The aim is to enable our children understand what we (parents) do at work places and be able to experience our work environment,” she says.

Dorice Kilale, a Communication Officer, says bringing children to work encourages leadership. “This reminds them how to lead by example as it helps to foster leadership characters to your children. This is an educational program for children as they tour our offices to learn what their parents do at their workplace,” she says.

Emmanuel feels that children would at least have a clue in mind when their parents tell them that they are going to work. “It will help them answer many questions they have in mind about what their parent’s work is all about,” he says, adding: “For me this was a good opportunity to show my children what I really do for a living.”

“Apart from asking too many questions, at least they see how the working environment looks like and of course they (children) get inspired,” adds Emmanuel, saying it is one of the ways that can inspire children to take their parent’s path, opting for a similar job when they grow up.

He urges parents to be open about the hard times they experienced in life as well as where their successes came from. “This would help to show children the way you struggled hard and kept on trying after several failures. It teaches them that you can still reach your goals even if you fall,” he adds.

A 12-year-old Daniel Thadius, who was among the children who toured the bank’s headquarter during the programme, says he did not have any clue on where his parents worked and how the office environment looks like.

“I am very excited to see where my parent spends the day working, so now wherever he says I’m going to work at least I know where he is going,” says Daniel.

Joshua Zaipuna, another child, was also happy to see his mother, Ruth, busy at work. “When I grow up I want to take my mother’s career path. She is my role model. Bringing me to her office today has opened up my mind,” he says.

Joshua, who confessed that it was his first experience in a modern bank office set-up, says it was a great opportunity he had, wishing that his classmates would have such an opportunity too.

“It is a great opportunity to me. This is my first time attending such an event. I have never heard any of my friends at school sharing a similar experience. I wish they would have attended such a programme,” he notes.