On Taking Your Kids to Work

Twice a year. I do this twice a year and never at the same time.

In the winter, I take them when they are on Christmas break, which is pretty dead in my office. Also, I don't usually stay until the bitter end that particular week. So, when Maren gets whiny or Brynna gets hyper, I pack it up and we leave.

In the summer, I try to take them towards the end of summer break. That way they are already bored with NiNi's house and I don't have to worry so much about them whining that they want to go there.

Brynna came with me a couple of weeks ago. Since Christmas, Brynna has turned into a pretty amazing office girl. I brought her on Friday, which is my "Get Stuff Done" day. She watered my plants, shredded my shredding, did most of my filing and spent the majority of the day fetching things off the printer for me.

We brought the dog. 'Cause, why not? River slept most of the day, but Brynna took him out for his walk all by herself and they had a nice run in the big field next to my office.

So, of course, Maren wanted to come this week, while Brynna is off at camp and we HAD to bring River. So, let me run down my day of tiny disasters for you:

• Maren tried to get my attention the entire time I was on the phone with my president this morning
• River has (abnormally) barked at every other dog entering or leaving the building today. He never does that.
• Maren got stung by a bee when we took River out for a walk.
• River knocked over his water bowl trying to get at the black lab next door.
• Maren watched a movie on an extra computer and clapped and sang along to the theme song for what seemed like two hours.
• River jumped under my desk when the construction crew next door dropped something heavy and stepped on my surge protector, shutting off my computer and making me lose all the edits my president had just given me via phone.
• Maren got bored at 3:00. An hour and a half of making up jobs to make her feel important. (She is currently making us all crowns.)

So, what I've learned: kids are constantly growing. Brynna became a bigger help in the last six months. Maren became a bigger pain. Also, River doesn't like black labs. Or one particular black lab? I don't know, but every time that dog walks by he loses his ever-loving mind.