“So Mom. How was your day?”
My son asks this question of me almost daily when I arrive home from work. It most likely comes from my asking him and his sister about their school days.
Communication. What a tool. What a gift. In some families, it goes unnoticed due to busy schedules with work and activities. It’s nice to take a few minutes out of the day to hear others out — the highs, the lows, the fun, the boring, the new stuff learned about or seen, the list goes on and on.
The fact that my tween son has interest in my work day is sweet. He knows my workload, what it entails, the majority of the staff I work with and the rigors of deadline I encounter when working nights (or special section deadlines, which come earlier and occasionally).
The same goes for me when it comes to their school days. I want to know what they’ve learned, their homework load (some days are better than others) and if anything needs a glance or a signature to return to school the next day. If dinner needs preparation, I want to know what tickles their appetite.
These conversations might seem ordinary or insignificant, but some day when the kids have headed to college or work those minute day description will mean more than you think.
Go ahead, kiddos. Make my day. Ask me how my day was, and I’ll ask you.
The mom of a dancing teen and a tween who enjoys scouting and hockey, Katie Campomizzi-Clews is a copy editor at The Republican-Herald. She began her career at The RH as a staff writer following graduation from Lycoming College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a minor in psychology. She shares her experiences of balancing work and parenting and takes a look at issues, events and trends concerning parents and children.
