Field trips are wasted on kids!

I work in the maintenance department of a large, worldwide organization. The headquarters campus of our corporation, I'm told, includes approximately 28 buildings--give or take a few. Little by little over the past year and a half, I have come to learn my way around. (Emphasis on little.)

My manager has decided that we need to upgrade the mechanical rooms and electrical vaults throughout campus. The focus is on clean-up, and it involves cleaning, painting, re-insulating, and other cosmetic items. For each room, a punchlist of items is created.

Enter the secretary.

You have no idea how much fun it is to go see these places. I am walking THROUGH places I've never been before, INTO places I've never been before. I am ALLOWED and EXPECTED to wear my tennis shoes and a jacket. My husband would love this stuff; although seeing a bunch of pumps or transformers time after time might be boring to anyone besides me. Nah, I'm pretty sure he'd love it all.

Our children have seen and done things that we haven't had the chance to do, all through school and school-related extracurricular activities. They tell me it's "boring," or "OK," or "so-so." I think they're nuts. I've now seen 3 electrical vaults, a wall of transformer switches, and about 15 different pumps of all shapes, sizes, and jobs. It is such a fabulous break (because "A change is as good as a rest, right, Daddy?) from the normal routine. It is fascinating to witness all the equipment and work it takes to run our large campus. It is cool to learn new stuff.

But I'll be honest. It could be ANY field trip and I'd be pleased--for all these same reasons.

Children's Museum? Fabulous!
The park? Awesome!
The Oval? Love to!
The bread factory? Count me in!
The grocery store? Do I get to go in the freezer? Please?

I'm telling you, field trips are wasted on kids!