On the phone to my friend the other day, I heard a bit of a commotion in the background.

When I enquired as to what was going on, she reported that her office was in turmoil. Four out of six members of staff were taking part in Take Your Dog to Work Day, a national event organised by the Blue Cross animal charity. Unfortunately, none of the mutts got on and were at each other's throats like rabid pit bulls.

Well, I thought Take Your Daughter to Work Day was weird enough. Aren't sons worth the effort? Or aren't they trusted to behave themselves?

However much I'd like my girls to see what I do all day when I'm not being a mother, I think physically taking them in would set me back a month in terms of getting through my workload. I get enough "Mummy, what's that?" and "Mummy, what's that man doing?" (To which I usually reply that daddy is checking his compost or engaged in some associated activity) type questions on my days off, thank-you very much.

Not that I'm against special days at work. I'd dress down on Fridays if it didn't mean I'd have to turn up in a bin bag.

And I quite like the idea of taking something or someone along to make the day more interesting. Here are a few of my own ideas:

Take Your Parents to Work Day

Mums and dads could see you in an entirely different light - as an adult with responsibilities (as opposed to a responsible adult) and not someone who still can't cook their own dinner or make their own bed.

I think mine would be shocked to see just how demanding my job actually is, and that I don't spend my days having endless cups of tea at flower shows and WI meetings.

Take Your Mother-in-Law to Work Day

This would be a nightmare, but a worthwhile one. The Old Bat, or whatever name she goes by, would for the first time observe her daughter or son-in-law making a contribution to the household budget and would not be so inclined to "tut-tut" when a country house and top-of-the-range Mercedes does not materialise after ten years of marriage.

Take Your Laundry to Work Day

This will appeal to anyone with a busy life. Your employer would have to provide a little on-site launderette, but that is a small price to pay for keeping staff happy. Employees would bring along their week's washing and get the lot done at work, freeing up time on a weekend for other, more satisfying activities such as family trips to the seaside.

Take Your Stresses to Work Day

Everyone - even those extremely self-satisfied looking people whose lives seem organised in every way - has outstanding 'things to do' in their life, that play on the mind and prevent you from relaxing. It could be that you're moving house and have a million people to notify, that you're having a wrangle with your mortgage lender, or that you simply want to write out your Christmas card list. Having a day set aside at work where you can do all these things, where you can sort out all life's niggles and not have to waste your day off, would be fantastic.

It's a sad affair that, to date, these 'special' working days involve only children and animals. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they the two things that people the world over say you should never work with?

Updated: 08:45 Tuesday, October 05, 2004