Ironically, no, I’m not the one who called today by this entry’s eponymous name. One of my coworkers is to thank for this one.

For those not in the know, today in America is “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work” Day. Otherwise known as “Get Out of School Free” Day, or, as I call it, “Big Freakin’ Joke” Day.

See, this day was originally begun by the Ms. Foundation for Women back in 1993 as “Take Our Daughters to Work” Day. It was begun as a way of showing young girls that the modern workforce was not just a boys’ club anymore and that there were just as many career opportunities out there for them as there were for stinky boys.

Then apparently someone whined that it wasn’t fair that this was a day just for girls. Yeah. You know what else isn’t fair? That women still make only 77 cents to a man’s dollar in some workplaces. Strangely enough, however, I’ve never been told that I only have to do 77 percent of the work in comparison to my male coworkers. Another thing that isn’t fair…life is full of such moments; those whingy boys should have been taught this lesson early.

To make matters even worse, this day has somehow metamorphosed into a complete and utter joke. Kids come to work with their parents and are handed over to staff, who have to give up part of or their entire day to basically provide free child care while the parents work. Nope, the kids don’t even stay with their parents throughout the day. They get shown around the office and then given “activities” to entertain them. Things like games and coloring. Then they’re fed. Then more activities. Once, they even went to the movies. Then a snack. Perhaps next year, a nap can be worked into the schedule.

[Note: I am basing all this on what I have witnessed at my current and previous places of employment. Perhaps today is celebrated in more sincere and productive ways elsewhere; I have simply never been witness to such an occurrence.]

This is just further evidence that even the best ideas can go horribly wrong. I think this was a wonderful idea when it was originally created. I think that my generation was pretty much the first to be encouraged to believe, from a young age, that even girls could grow up to be whatever they wanted to be. This isn’t the case anymore. Today, girls and boys both seem to be imprinted from a very early age that they not only can do or be whatever they want, but that they are entitled to do or be whatever.

I, therefore, propose that this day either be abolished or changed once again, this time to become “Reality Check” Day in which these obnoxious little children are taught that, no, the world is indeed not your oyster or waiting to be served to you on a silver platter. And the workplace is not going to be like elementary school, where you were given kudos and accolades (and really stupid “Great Kid” bumper stickers) just for being you! (Generation Y, after reading articles like this, I’m looking right directly at you.)

It’s instead an Office Space amalgamation of banality, insanity, frustration, and disappointment…but sometimes, every so often, you’re lucky enough to stumble upon something that you really love doing and that sometimes even brings you accolades from supervisors. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to find a job that you almost 100 percent love…except for those rare occasions when children impinge themselves upon your usually happily-cloistered-among-adults existence…