Take Your Mom To Work Day

On my recent visit to Boulder, I spent a morning at my son Phil's office. Remember when you were a kid and your parents' company would have a bring your child to work day? You got to see what mom or dad really did all day. Well, I got to see what my busy son does all day. Although I knew he was a very busy man, I never realized how many hats he wears and how many balls he has to juggle. It was a great way to spend a morning.

We arrived around 9:30 to Phil's beautiful office space in the foothills of Boulder. A rustic office building surrounded by mountains, trails, and walking paths is the perfect spot for getting those creative juices working. After a round of introductions with a variety of employees and interns, a quick tour of the office (they've got some new artwork on the walls and lots of new mountain bikes for the employees to ride during lunch), Phil got down to work. I eaves dropped on him (not really) while he went about his morning business. Most of his morning was spent on the phone. He's the COO of his company, so he is involved in every aspect from manufacturing to distribution. He loves every part of his job, and I enjoyed hearing his passion in every conversation. Whether it's designing new packaging, looking for a new machine to automate production or planning a spring festival in the Rocky Mountain, Phil is passionately involved in every phase. He's 32 years old, but he's still my youngest son, and it's exciting to see how far he's come.

I sat on the couch of his office with a laptop to keep me busy and entertained myself while he carried on his day. We took a lunch break after which Phil dropped me back at his home, where I spent the afternoon playing with 16 month old Lennon. Phil was off to his manufacturing plant to oversee the delivery of a huge piece of machinery.

This was an exciting day for me, one that I certainly won't do often, but it was so enlightening. We all think we know what our kids do all day, but spending the day with them and really seeing them in action is something we should all get a chance to do. I think companies should offer a "Bring your parents to work day" as well as a "Bring your children to work day." It's another way for us all to have a greater understanding of each other.

I remember when Phil was little, he was told his father was an accountant. But when people asked him what his father did, his answer was "He talks on the phone." I have a feeling that Lennon will say the same thing when asked what his father does!