Normally I think that parent/kid “dates” are a little creepy, but that was SO SWEET!
My mother never wanted to go certain places, so my stepfather would take me instead. I have many memories of such outings—to the officer’s club at a nearby Air Force base, Toastmaster’s Club meetings, Fireman’s Ball...
We never called them “dates”, but they embodied much the same sentiment as is expressed in this video.
When I was cast into the role of single parent, I found that restaurant meals with my boy and sometimes also his friends were a way for me as a mom to teach them table manners and how to treat a lady. Since ladies are initially supposed to take the passive role in social situations, it had to be a more instructive experience, like telling them that girls like it when you hold the door or help with the chair, etc; but the “how to have a polite conversation” parts were often very cute. We still use some of those old chestnuts when conversation lags, like, “So! Read any good books lately?”