Work experience!

[Theas18]

DS just back from a week of work experience in London - poor wee sausage has realised that it's hard work and he's exhausted Lolol!

He's had a great time- worked well I'm sure , and did get himself there and back by train too ( he stayed with family in central London so some late nights ) .

I'm just very tickled by the fact that he was surprised that he's tired, working proper 9-5 days compared to school.

Next week I he has a week in a nursery. Then he will know the meaning of the word knackered!

My Ds did his this year and my DD last year. They both found it a complete shock. They had 3 weeks and each did a week with me (I'm Director of my own business), a week with DH (works in law in the city) and a week else where. DD was at a magazine and DS went to a sort of agency type place.

They both were completely shocked that:

DH and I work hard
We work harder than those they encountered in there other placements
We are both respected and 'important'

Dh is at work by 8:00am and usually leaves about the same time, so being with him was complete shock to the system. The idea their dad who to them is funny and loud and quite cool is this serious guy working in law made them

I think they found with me the realisation that even though I work from home 2 and a half days per week this does mean I actually do work I'm not just indoors watching tv. Also that its my business and therefore I have to get things done that I'm not silly mum who always get locked out/forgets things.

The both were surprised that we did our jobs then came home and did social things/cleaning/gym/cooking/parenting so I actually enjoyed it more than them because I felt they finally understood how hard I work.

I think there is a myth amongst kids that at work we just sit at our computer or swan around chatting, sending emails or drinking tea. They had a rude awakening.

It is good for them to get the experience, I think it taught them they need to enjoy what they do and about how you have a work persona and a home persona. Although they both still want to go into medicine at the moment so I don't know how relevant the experience was.

We've got work experience coming up this week with DD, and to be honest I'm not sure what to think. I'm hoping she enjoys herself and really makes the most of it ... but I'm worried she'll sit in a corner tweeting about Justin Bieber!

I've organised for her to go and work with a film and tv post production company in the West End who do quite a lot of work for me, which should be great fun as she is keen on photoshop and all that sort of thing, plus they are working on some interesting stuff right now and are really nice people.

TBH if we get half the results you did Ruby ... or even if she comes home just a tiny bit enthused then I'll be happy.

Sounds a great placement! I take kids on and it's really quite a rewarding experience. Some of them really do get a shock; others just blossom. They all stagger out the door at the end of the first day though!

My own DC had quite mixed work experiences. DS1 went to a big engineering firm and made tea for a week which was actually quite good because it knocked him down a peg! DD went to a different firm and was very involved which made her sure she was going to go into engineering. DS2 & 3 went to a primary school and hated it, which taught them to arrange their own next time!

Update- we are day 3 in his school placement and I've started a " work experience as contraceptive" thread ...

THose who find working with smalls " cute" clearly aren't working hard enough LOL (though I hear there is a rumour that some babies do not feed or cry all the time, some may even sleep..... I tried 3 times myself and couldn't confirm that rumour)