If you can take your kids to work, do it on April 26. What started as Take Our Daughters To Work in 1993, an idea from Gloria Steinem and the Ms. Foundation for Women, became genderless in 2003 to include boys, according to Wikipedia. The Ms. Foundation said the program was designed to specifically address girls’ self-esteem issues.

The best thing about this day is it lets your kids know what you do for a living. My kids, ages 10 and up, joined me in my office at a local ad agency. They filed, filled in spread sheets in Excel — yes they did, conducted research for me in media books and more. They were fabulous. When I was teaching marketing classes at Mercyhurst University, they also joined me. My students loved it.

Not everyone can do this, but if you can, plan now to give your kids something to do so they aren’t just watching you work. They can participate. And that will improve self esteem for all of them. Plus, you’ll share some memories.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.