Spending time with my oldest daughter has been more important than ever.

A few months ago, her little sister joined our family, and she’s adjusted so maturely. My oldest helps out, she’s patient when I can’t tend to her right away and she finds ways to keep herself entertained when I can’t.

Yeah, she’s acted out, too. Overall, though, she’s been amazing.

I started implementing monthly mommy-and-me dates to make sure she gets the attention she deserves. One of our latest was to Atlanta Ballet 2’s Swan Princess show.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dance company is streaming the family-friendly production from Facebook on Easter Sunday at 2 p.m. Atlanta Ballet was supposed to have a second run of the Swan Princess this weekend in Sandy Springs, but stay-at-home orders and social distancing are keeping many people self-quarantined as frontline health professionals try to contain the deadly virus.

Atlanta Ballets effort is one of thousands like it to keep families engaged.

My 3-year-old daughter loves dance. She takes ballet and rocked her first recital last year (even after a nasty stomach bug).

She routinely changes into a skirt or tutu at home, eager to show me the moves she’s been practicing.

I was thrilled to take her — and Misty Copeland — to her first ballet in February. And what a date it was!

Here’s why:

You get to dress up

I had so much fun picking out our ballet outfits and pulling her hair back into a bun. I let her wear a little of her lip gloss out of the house. She was excited (and I for once didn’t spill the beans about our upcoming adventure weeks before it happened). It was pretty cold out, so she wore a wool dress with black tights and black cat shoes. She put on her nice coat and we posed for a pictures before leaving. Just me and my girl.

Atlanta Ballet is encouraging families to wear their Sunday’s best for the full-length virtual premiere.

Refreshing entertainment

Introducing children to the arts helps give them a unique appreciation for it.

Taking my daughter to the ballet wasn’t like the movies or the arcade. While those make fabulous dates, too, The Swan Princess was unlike anything she’s experienced before. She got to watch the easy-to-follow production and showed interest as the story unfolded. It was the perfect amount of time. She was excited to go home and share with her father and little sister (a few-months-old baby) about the “man with the big black wings” (Count Von Rothbart) and the princess. She has a pretty great memory, so this is just another vivid addition for her to file.