I was invited this week to a party thrown by Us Magazine, celebrating celebrities they had anointed as “hot.” Bolstered by the knowledge that a good friend was also going to attend, I decided this was worthy of a weeknight not spent at home and also not spent working.

However, upon learning that several of the key celebrities in question were the stars of “High School Musical,” it was instantly clear that this event would hold exponentially more appeal to my nearly 8-year-old daughter. Thus, when we learned just a few hours before that it would be possible to bring a few kids along, I knew I was going to willingly sacrifice my grown-up night out (or rather, night in, in a party) for the otherwise distasteful act of fawning over celebrities with a camera and autograph pad (2 things I would otherwise never have with me). I knew this would be the case even with their proviso that for the kids to see these “hot” celebrities it would be necessary for us to stand outside, in the cold. (When a key party sponsor happens to be a vodka brand there is especially NO way anyone under the age of 21 is getting through the doors).

But as a mother, really, was there even a dilemma? Was there any question the pleasure of seeing my daughter have a chance at meeting her current celebrity idols would outweigh any passing pleasure I might have had in attending this bash on my own? Is there any question that when given the chance to turn a benefit of my work into a hugely tangible benefit for my child, I’d button my coat and leave the cocktails to someone else?

So here is Hannah, on the left, with her friend Stella, posing with Zac Efron, feeling like her LIFE was MADE (at least for the next day or so). You’ll just have to imagine me on the other side of the camera, beaming off of the halo of her unmitigated delight.

It reminded me of a time earlier this year where a similar perk materialized (and lest you be arching an eyebrow in some form of disgust let me just say that, really really, these don’t happen all that often). With the benefit then of a little more lead time, I thought about the various theatrical ways I might unveil a pair of highly coveted “Jonas Brothers” concert tickets to her. And I realized then that I wanted to make it an instructive moment, one that she could understand in terms meaningful to her, that there is a myriad of upside to the fact that MOMMY WORKS.

So here is what I wrote to her, in big letters on the computer so she had to keep scrolling to read:

Why is it good that both Mommy and Daddy work?

Well, there are lots of reasons.

For example, it’s great that both Mommy and Daddy have different, exciting careers, where we can use our brains, be creative, meet all sorts of people, and accomplish all sorts of things.

It’s great that Mommy and Daddy can learn new things everyday… and that makes Mommy and Daddy better teachers to our daughters.

It’s great that, at the end of the day, we’ve all had different experiences that we can share with each other.

It’s great that Daddy and Mommy can both provide for our family.

And sometimes, because Mommy and Daddy both work, we get some really cool things because of our jobs.

And, if our children are being really, really, really good…

I mean, really good (like doing the stuff their supposed to do without being asked—over and over again)…

Then we can sometimes make their impossible wishes…

come true.

Like….

(Turn Around)

She got the tickets. And, more importantly to me, I think she really GOT it.

It really doesn’t happen that often, but for the missed field trips and business trips that take me away, it’s nice to be able to savor a moment like this:

You might even say that, that night, work really brought us together.