Take Our Children to Work Today, and to High-Quality Early Education Tomorrow

Millions of parents and children will have a cheerful change from their usual routines today, on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. It’s a day when children bring a bit more energy to offices around the country with their laughter and little voices. And it’s a day when children get a glimpse of their possible futures. The day is designed to encourage children to think about what work they might like to do when they grow up and about how to get there, and show them that, if they try hard in school, they can become what they want to be.

Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day is a special day each year when parents can help their children take one step further on a path to success in school, work, and life. But children’s progress on that path also depends on their experiences all the other days of the year, starting from their earliest years. Children’s futures depend on their daily experiences, which include their experiences in early care and education—experiences that influence children’s growth and learning and readiness for school.

Research shows that children who have attended high-quality early learning programs are more likely to perform well in elementary and secondary school, graduate from high school, and have stable, well-paying jobs. Yet many children lack access to high-quality early care and education programs. Such programs may be unavailable in their communities, or unaffordable for their parents.

To address this problem, the President has proposed significant new investments in early learning to greatly expand access to high-quality prekindergarten, high-quality care for infants and toddlers, and voluntary home visiting to support vulnerable families and their young children. These investments would enable many more children to have early learning opportunities they need to succeed. And some day they may proudly bring their own children along with them to work.