Today is “Take Your Daughter To Work Day”
Quite frankly, I’m relieved my darling daughter, Clara is actually NOT accompanying me to work today. Rather, she’ll be at an amazing home daycare that we have come to know and love.
It hasn’t always been this way, however.
When Clara was just 2 weeks old, I went back to work at my part time job at a local dealership. Words cannot describe my surprise and gratitude when my boss told me he was open to the idea of Clara coming to work with me. I only worked 2-3 days a week and only 4-5 hours at a time as a graphic designer, so we thought it would work out well for awhile. “Awhile” turned into 8 months, and my boss will never know how much that meant to me. I was given the chance to be a photographer, part time employee and stay at home mom…almost simultaneously. There was a sense of pride within me that I could create a car ad for the Minneapolis Star Tribune while burping my newborn…then I’d set her down to sleep and answer phones and emails… Today, I still love my part time job within this dealership. I love it more now than I did then in fact. We drive by and Clara knows all about her time spent there, and I tell her stories about when she used to sleep in ‘Mommy’s office’.
These days, Clara only stops into the dealership for a visit and some popcorn. On this recent day, I was in a bind, so she sat quietly and watched VeggieTales while I did an hours worth of work:
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Clara has always known, my “real job” is being a business owner and photographer. From the time she was just learning how to talk, she knew words like: “meeting” “bride” and “photo shoot”. On rare occasions, I still have to bring Clara to a shoot. I try reeeeeally hard to never have to do this, but I have some amazingly understanding clients who accomodate parenthood.
She has spent her fair share of time tied into her carseat, and I have spent my fair share of time pouring cheerios into baggies for a photoshoot treat for her:
Bless her heart, she also knows all about the Post Office: the long lines at the Burnsville Post Office & the quaintness of the Nisswa Post Office. She is patient and helpful and knows this is all for “Mommy’s work”
Most of the time she stays out of the way at a session, but every now and then, she gets a little silly and makes an appearance:
These are just a few of my favorites of the little girl who tags along with her mama and rarely complains:
The following two images will always be FAVORITES of mine…a fall evening photo shoot in beautiful South Dakota. Here is my little country girl sitting in the front seat of a Polaris Ranger watching the iPad at sunset in the most beautiful pasture I’ve ever seen:
That same night, we ended up back on the dirt roads to finish the shoot. She killed time finding empty shotgun shells and filling them with gravel. Oh my heart…look at those mis-matched shoes. She’s a wild child and a creative, free spirit.
(I will note, this shoot was for my sister and her family. Clara is never unattended. This mother bear is capable of one eye on her cub and one eye through the view finder…)
So on this day, when many parents are bringing their children to their place of employment to offer them a sneak peek into the workforce, I’ll sit at my desk at the dealership and later at home editing photos, being grateful for the opportunities my 3.5 year old daughter has already had to see what working looks like. I want her to grow up to love the work she finds herself doing. Regardless of the field she pursues or direction her life takes her, I hope she will look back on the early years of being her mom’s sidekick and know that all these hours spent WITH her and AWAY from her were ultimately FOR her.
