A day in the life of… “Go to work with your adult child”. We entered his world.

If we could have appeared, for an instance, to be in two places at once, we would have been home and the studio warehouse. It was all new and we did not know what to expect. It would be a day of adventure for us for sure. We were inspired to have a “Going to work with our adult child day”. And we were extremely excited to be part of our son’s work world. Lights, camera, action, oh my! What’s going on? Behind the scenes.

What in the “Sam Hill” have we gotten ourselves into?

It was 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Arise and shine. As we gathered ourselves, we got up and prepared for our long workday. We loaded the car with props and were on our way. The phone rings, it’s our son, “Ma, I need you guys to do something for the shoot. Pick up some packages that were delivered to a facility instead of my location.” So, we head out at 8:15 a.m. to pick up more props. Once we arrived at our destination, we were instructed to run another errand for wardrobe pieces. Off we went.

Back on set, we were in awe and ready to get started. Our one task of many…Craft Services. Water for hydration? Check. Continental breakfast and snacks? Check. What’s next? We are here to serve. We were there, in the trenches of it all; setting up props, assisting the crew, laying out wardrobe, and etcetera, etcetera. We were out of our league.

Lunch anyone? What’s on the menu?

2:15p.m. Breaktime? Nope. It was time to switch job functions. We had done an array of jobs to support the cast and cameramen and now it was time to pick up lunch. With some film shoots the food is catered, but this particular shoot was specific…pick up by the “new” help, aka, craft services. The time was whisking by, and we were captivated by all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating a music video or any video for that matter.

Furthermore, Derick, Sr, and I work from home for ourselves, so we had not done this much physical labor in what seemed like ages. This day was different. We had been walking, bending, standing, and all the like up until lunch order specifications. By the time we reached the restaurant, which was a few exits away, we got out of the car, and was stiff as boards. Needless to say, by the time we made it back to the studio, we had to have a couple of ibuprofens with our lunch! (This is based on a true story.)

You must learn one thing. Stay in your lane.

If you decide to embark on this journey and I pray that you do or when the time comes that your child or children become old enough for you to do so. Please embrace this experience. Could you survive a full day as we did? I’m sure you could with preparation. We knew our start time, but the end time was speculative. Of course, we could have left at any time we desired. We had committed and we were there to fulfill it.                

It should be noted that one of the most challenging things for me was not being a mom on set. I found myself instructing when I was not supposed to. Giving my opinion and clearly, I was not asked for it. Making remarks, like “Millennials”. Yikes! What was I thinking? I was not there for my motherly advice, opinion, or direction. I know nothing about production, the film industry, cameras, sets, or the like. I was there to take orders and work for…our son. And the crazy thing is that my direction was mostly towards everyone else and not our son. I had created a new title for myself which was the second producer at large. “Whose mom is that on set?” Lol. (Fortunately, I was not fired and asked to leave.)

Wrap Up? It’s been an amazing full day.

Wait a minute – are we still here? What time is it? 10:30 p.m. I’ll alert the crew. And by the way, could someone bring us a pillow and blanket? We are staying the night. Oh, and bring us a sandwich too.

What a long day…but wait, I’m not sleepy yet. I’m still a ball of energy and wired up. What am I to do? We cleaned and gathered our things, and props. Afterward, we headed out the door, got in our vehicle, and headed to Taco Bell. Yes, Taco Bell and then home.

Life-changing experience. Dreams and desires are within reach.

We came. We saw. We conquered. Hubby and I had done it. We survived a full day of work on set with our child while he was “adulting”. We watched our son be excellent in his field. We asked ourselves, Whose child is this? We are his parents?

The videography industry is a profession you can’t take lightly. We had no idea what all it took to put on a production. We had our assumptions. There are so many moving parts. This game is not for the faint at heart. It’s an occupation that can be a bit intimidating.

Yes, we were proud parents and had many proud parent moments throughout the day. Artistry and mere competence were at work in him. He was at maximum warp speed, all day.  We know we were dealing with a master at his craft. His work is his playground. By mid-day, we were able to identify him as one of the bad—es!

We had no idea. No expectation of what to expect. We had told our son we would help him in his business and to just let us know if he ever needed our assistance. We have our businesses to handle but also want to see him expand and grow. High Arc Media is excelling, and we are grateful to be a part of it. God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Not our will but Your will be done, Lord.

Try it. Make it an essential thing to do.

Without a doubt, the foundation of who we are helps to build our children and mold them into the man and/or woman of God they were created to be.

Unlike any other job, parenting can be very rewarding. I want to encourage you to take the plunge. Go in with your eyes wide open. So simple, yet so essential. Pour into your child’s life. In his or her work. You will be amazed and surprised at what you will learn about them and yourself. It’s a whole new world. A different playing field. We felt like it was groundbreaking news. Worthy of the headlines. Our son is adulting. He is living his own life!

The day after. What had happened was…

When we got home Saturday night, we had to take more ibuprofen. In addition to that, the next day we slept in late, and it took us two days to recuperate. But ask us if we had a good time? And the answer is “Yes, we did!”

The moral of the story. And the truth is.

There are some things we as parents have and still do want to see fulfilled in our lifetime. David wanted to build the temple for the Lord and God did not allow him to do so (I Chronicles 22:6-10). We may have to pass the baton to one of our offspring to complete the work of the Lord. Or we could have a passion that is so big it has to be carried on by the next generation. Let the Father’s will be done.

As parents, we stress and worry about what our children would be like when they grow up. Are we doing the right thing? What more can we do or could have done? It can be extremely terrifying to think about. We can become frantic and sometimes jeopardize the parent/child relationship because we try too hard.

The good news? If you have been given the opportunity to parent and God has allowed you to see your child become an adult, try engaging with them on a different level. Ask the Lord to guide you and if you feel led to do so, set the appointment and go to work; with your son and/or daughter. Enjoy many “Ah-ha” moments.

Was going to work with our adult child worthwhile? For us…ABSOLUTELY. We now work as employees of High Arc Media!

            Derick Pope II – High Arc Media