Parents are sometimes disappointed when they learn that UC Davis does not have a parents' weekend. They imagine a friendly get-together with their student, combined with activities for all. Right now our closest alternative is Picnic Day.

As a veteran of parents' weekends at other colleges, I say Picnic Day is the better idea.

Consider timing. Most schools design parents' weekends primarily for parents of freshmen, and they schedule them in fall or winter. But in mid-fall, new students face their first round of midterms, and in winter the weather may be dreary.

Picnic Day — this year on Saturday, April 14 — finds your first-year student in a completely different frame of mind. With a little luck, the sun is shining. Your student has survived two quarters and, in many cases, identified living companions for next year. He or she may have chosen an apartment complex, which you might visit. Midterms still loom, but your student is savvy about how to prepare. Rather than disrupting frantic studies, your visit may provide a welcome break.

Another kind of timing

Students and parents operate on very different schedules. Parents, especially those with younger children, tend to rise and retire early. Students rise and retire late. By happy accident, Picnic Day accommodates both.

The Picnic Day Parade, which starts at 10 a.m., may not attract your student but is a great activity for you and your younger children. Evening revelry, on the other hand, tends to exclude parents but keeps students happy. In between, you can have lunch together, and your student can take you around campus to shows and open houses in almost every department.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Animal Magnetism

Although there is something for everyone at Picnic Day, animals are the stars. I favor the Frisbee dogs and dachshund races, but they are only two of dozens of events. You can bring your dog to Picnic Day, which will please students who miss the family pet as much as they do their parents.

For me, the secret of a good time with my children is having something we can do together, something that involves walking, looking, and standing close, and — in the case of my son — not a lot of talking.

Picnic Day delivers.