Guest Blog by Wine Country Daughter

Santa Rosa Mom isn’t writing today. Instead, her twelve year old daughter is. Today is “Take Your Kid to Work” day, and I, DQ, am a guest writer. I, like my mom, love writing. So being able to write on her blog is super cool.

My mom says when she was little she wanted to work at the Press Democrat. She got her wish and now I hope I’ll get that lucky. I want to become a novelist and move to New Zealand. New Zealand is full of exotic sea life and I love the world underwater. I, as a writer, have to go through the normal writing stuff. My teacher will use my writing pieces as samples and usually I get twenty blank stares. Writers often get people who just don’t understand. But I also have to get over it because, most likely, I’ll get that often.

I’ve been going to “Take Your Kid to Work” day since I was nine. The Taz has never been able to come. When I first came kids had to be eight to attend. So I fit the age limit. My brother and I have a three year difference, so while I joined Mom at work, he had to go to school. For the next couple years I enjoyed my alone time at my mom’s desk. Then the year that I had been dreading came, the year my brother turned eight. I would now have to share this special day I had been spending with my mom. But it just so happens that with the next “Take Your Kid to Work” day, they moved the age up to ten! So this year I get to go alone, again. It is awesome being the older child! But next year I will have to share. Maybe they’ll change the age again (hint, hint Mr. Publisher).

My day at the Press Democrat has been way better than school. We had a tour of the building and learned what people do all day. The third floor is pretty much the break room and the publisher’s office. Most stuff happens on the second floor. That’s where all the news stories are written. Then the first floor is all advertising. My mom works on the first floor. Later in the day we went to the publisher’s office and he answered questions the kids had. We also got cookies.

The best part of the day, though, was being able to go to the mall after we ate lunch. But first we just had to stop at the Holy Roast. Mom got an Americano and I got a Mango Italian Soda with a splash of cream. We then went to the mall and browsed through all the good stores (Macy’s, The Apple store, Bath and Body Works). We even stopped at the AT&T store to see how expensive the phones were since I recently dropped my phone in the toilet (don’t ask how) and I’m hoping to find a nice inexpensive one. Fail. I was then welcomed back by Sift Cupcakes thanks to a co-workers birthday. I have noticed that whenever I come to the office there is either a birthday, some sort of celebration….or treats just to have treats.

I don’t see my future anything like my mom’s, but I have to say there is definitely action in the Press Democrat. There’s always someone coming to her about a mistake or something like that. I don’t think office work will be for me. But thanks for giving me a look at what an adult’s life is like, Mom!