I had two tickets to attend a very big Chinese New Year Gala Ball on the weekend, and of course, I was planning to take my favourite date, my husband.

But an hour before we were due to get in the car, the babysitter rang and said she had to cancel. Argh!

So. Suddenly, my husband was the babysitter!

And I needed a date at very short notice!

I decided to take my eldest son, Callum, who is almost seven years old.

Sounds crazy right? But what else was I going to do? Waste a ticket – No! Ring old boyfriends? Twist the arm of my boy cousins? Drag along my gay friend, who is really more of a girl friend? Ask the hot-looking, single guy who lives down the road (who I have never actually spoken to)? Yeah right.

Attending this event is a fairly important family tradition for me, so I figured that it was a great opportunity to introduce it to my FIRST BORN SON.

Was I really going to take a SEVEN YEAR OLD to a posh ball? I mean, whatever happened, it would be my own fault. So I tried not to think about it too much.

As I rushed around getting ready, my husband showed Callum the secret man-business of tying a tie. And under fastidious questioning, my husband had to admit that YES, TIES ARE RATHER STUPID.

Callum was quite uncomfortable with the tie and having to wear his shirt tucked into his pants. But I could see that he was also very excited to be suddenly entering the mysterious world of adults.

Once we were at the event, my son had a great time. He saw the inside of a huge grand hotel ballroom, he chatted to many adults in my community, he ate the full ten course dinner, he covered his ears during the lion dance, and boogied with me on the dance floor.

It was quite nice for me to see the whole CNY Ball experience through new eyes.

But I have to confess, it was a very unusual date because I have never before…

Been on a date with a guy shorter than I am.

Or had a date who sucked on his tie when he was bored.

Or had drunk so much juice that he had to go to the toilet 6 times.

Or danced with my mother to 60’s rock and roll!

(But I still think I had the best looking date there!)

(My dress is a lovely gown from Fashion Junkee!)