April 27 is Take Our Daughters to Work Day in Britain. Started at first in the United States and brought to Britain in 1994, Take Our Daughters to Work Day has become a special day for girls between 11 and 15. On that day thousands of girls take a day off school and go together with one of their parents to their work places. The purpose of this day is to broaden girls' horizons1 and raise their self-confidence2.
For many years people have thought that boys can do better than girls in society. But actually, “girls can be whatever they want to be just like boys, whether it is a pilot, a nurse or a chief executive3,” says the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust4, an organization which supported the activity5 of the Day. “ Now the girls have a close look at what their parents are doing and this may help them to be more self-confident when they are faced with a choice of work.”
Schools and many companies support the activity too. Palmers Green High School for girls, in north London, has made the day a necessary part of careers6 education.
Zarina Bart, 15, from Palmers Green, went with her mother Gwen to her Lawyer's office this year's Take Our Daughters to Work Day. “I learned how to fill in a legal7 aid8 form9 and I read details10 of a case. Then I went to see the actual trial,” she said.
Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work. “It's really strange seeing Mum at work—running around, getting serious and telling people what to do.” She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother's footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence.
Experts believe that girls with higher self-confidence aim higher and are more likely to be successful in life. Parents have most important effect on the confidence of teenage11 girls. If parents believe in their daughters and show examples both at work as well as at home for them, this will give a lot of help to girls. Take Our Daughters to Work Day is surely a step in the right direction.
4月27日是英国的“带着女儿上班节”。此节源于美国，并于1994年传入英国。“带着女儿上班节”已经成为11岁到15岁女生的一个特别的节日。在那一天，成千上万的女生放假一天，跟随父亲或母亲到他们的工作单位“上班”。这个节日的目的是开阔女生的视野，增强她们的自信。
许多年来，人们一贯认为男孩在社会上会比女孩干得好。但是事实上，“女孩能像男孩那样做好她们想做的事情，无论是当飞行员，护士还是主管，”支持这个节日活动的“吾之子女慈善信托”组织的主席说，“现在，女孩子们亲眼观察父母正在做的事情。当她们面临就业时，这种体验有助于增添她们的自信。”
许多学校和公司也支持这项活动。位于伦敦北部的Palmers Green 女子中学把这一天作为职业教育中必修的一课。
今年的“带着女儿上班节”，来自Palmers Green女子中学的赞瑞娜· 巴特和她的母亲格温一道去了律师事务所。“我学会了怎样填写法律援助表格，看了一宗案件的详情。然后，我去看了真正的审判，”她说。
赞瑞娜认为看她母亲工作是有趣的。“母亲工作时跑来跑去，变得严肃，告诉别人要做什么。我对这一切感到陌生。”她一直想进入法律业，并且认为有可能走母亲的路。有机会看她母亲怎样工作给了她更多的自信。
专家认为，如果女孩的自信心越强，那么在未来她们的目标就越宏伟，成功的可能性就越大。父母对女孩子自信心的培养有着举足轻重的影响。如果父母亲信任自己的女儿，在工作中、在家里为她们做出榜样，这将会给她们很大帮助。“带着女儿上班节”确实是一着正棋。