Take Your Parent From Work Day

Last week, we had our first Take Your Parent From Work Day. A spin on the classic Take Your Child to Work Day, we wanted to give parents at Notarize the opportunity for their kid(s) to take them away from their work for an afternoon and spend time together.

This is what a few of the parents at Notarize and their children got up to on their time off.

Ashley Spiess, VP, Notary Strategy

My 5-year-old daughter has been through a lot these past two years. She had her second open heart surgery, became a big sister to her now 20-month-old brother and experienced the rough reclusiveness of the pandemic at such a young age. She has also been the biggest trooper, especially when work needs my constant attention. Time with her is precious, and I am so grateful for every day I get with her. We also have the same birthday. How cool is that?

So on Take Your Parent From Work Day, it was all about her agenda. It started with a stop for a cake pop and then we literally “set the stage” so she could try out her new karaoke machine she got for her birthday. We sang Disney songs and danced. We always repeat the saying, “I can do anything.” She’s clearly running with it, and I’m so grateful I get to witness it.

Casey Garber, Director, Auto Policy

On Take Your Parent From Work Day, I was able to take some time with my guys (Cadon, 18 and Rowan, 13) to go grab ice cream after school. It was much appreciated by all of us. My oldest is only a few weeks away from graduating high school and with all of the spring activities, we don’t get a lot of downtime.

As a working parent, at the end of the school year there is a lot of pressure to be at all sorts of activities that occur during the day — field trips, class parties, senior days. I am already thankful for the opportunity to work for a company with flexibility and wellness days for these important moments, but this extra time to intentionally spend with my boys allowed us to take a pause, put phones away and enjoy some time together to connect. For the three of us, we know that our time together under one roof is coming to a close soon, and these extra moments together have an additional sentiment of savoring the present.

Jacqueline Phillips, Director of Notary Education & Engagement

I’ve been at Notarize for six years, starting from an independent contractor working from home, to working in the office in 2017. My daughter came to work with me for Take Your Child to Work Day, and saw what I did as a trainer for over 200 notaries. Then 2020 happened, and my children saw the effort it took to transition from working in an office to being remote, where essentially our children are at work with us every day.

Fast forward to 2022. Notarize has always been a trailblazer and once again turned it upside down, giving children the opportunity to take their parent/caregiver from work. My daughter took me to visit her first-choice college, Virginia Commonwealth University. We walked around, enjoyed an abbreviated lecture and had lunch on campus. This time spent away from work together is special, and shows Notarize’s commitment to family and work-life balance.

Liam Moroney, SVP Revenue Marketing

While we were waiting to close on our new house, we spent a week in an Airbnb up in the Catskill mountains of New York, and I worked remotely. But with the time back on Take Your Parents From Work Day, I was able to join my 14-month-old in seeing the scenery of where we were staying. Those few hours allowed me to switch off and enjoy the stunning natural scenery and bond with my son.

Mike Lyons, Market Operations Success Manager

As a new Dad, I love spending quality time with my family and creating lasting memories with our fast-growing, 8-month-old baby girl. Every so often, we have to remind ourselves to take a pause — and that’s exactly what Notarize did for all working parents on our first Take Your Parent From Work Day.

On Thursday afternoon, rather than preparing for afternoon meetings, I shut down my computer, muted slack and headed out the door to pick-up my daughter, Stella, from daycare. It was amazing being able to untether from the computer knowing we had the afternoon all to ourselves. Stella and I laughed and played with bubbles in the yard with Mom, took a trip to surprise Gammy (my mom) with an afternoon visit, stopped in for a snack at our favorite restaurant and rolled around smiling the day away!

Nina Owens, Customer Support Associate

My son, Ryan, and I went on a “Mommy and Me” date. I had to go to my doctor’s office and after my appointment, and without prompting, Ryan opened the car door for me. Lucky for me, I was able to catch it on camera.

Our first top after that was Cold Stone Creamery, where he picked out a treat — a new Peeps ice cream concoction — complete with a little yellow peep on top. After that, I let him pick what he wanted for lunch. We got two slices of pepperoni pizza and he picked out a movie to watch (Richie Rich), while I made some popcorn. It was so nice to sit with him, watch a movie and just relax before starting work. I’d say our first Take Your Parent From Work Day was a success!