Balancing act: BizTown teaches fifth graders work-life lessons

My daughter seemed to thrive despite the pressure, though. She said she had a great time greeting people, running the cash register, clearing tables and otherwise managing the restaurant. As a result of her efforts, she was named "Citizen of the Day," and she was proud that she was able to work with classmates to help the restaurant earn the designation of business of the day.

"My favorite part of BizTown was walking over the bridge and getting the feeling that you're starting something really new, and it made you feel happy that you were there finally and all of the training paid off," she said. "The training might be boring, but it all paid off at BizTown."

I was impressed by some of her insights into the working world that came as a result of her day at JA City, as well as some of the quotes my wife gathered while serving as an adult volunteer at the JATV station.

For example, one student told her, "It looks really cool to be in the grown-up world, but it's a lot of responsibility."

Another said, "Being an adult is fun if you get all your work done, but people keep rushing you."

Still others said they didn't like billing people or handling paperwork.

"Being the boss is awesome, and it's also really hard," another student told my wife. "Everybody wants to talk to you, and there's always something you haven't done yet."

Isn't that the truth?

Perhaps my favorite nugget of wisdom came from my daughter, as it included some good work-life balance insight.

"I can imagine how hard it would be to go to work and then get back home and start doing all the chores, like helping kids with homework, doing some laundry, making dinner, and then getting to bed really late and knowing that you'd have to get up and do that routine all over again," she said.

To that I can only say, yes, sweetheart, it is sometimes difficult. But when I look at my "Citizen of the Day," I know it's completely worth the effort.

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