MELBOURNE – Throughout the show, my 15-year-old daughter and I have been toe-tapping and in-seat grooving to Michael Jackson’s famous pop tunes. By the finale of MJ The Musical (mjthemusical.com.au; tickets from A$80 or S$73), the theatre erupts.

Like the rest of the audience, we are on our feet, dancing and cheering, swept up in the joy of the moment.

When the applause subsides, we look at each other and agree – the male members of our family, her two elder brothers and father, would not be so enthusiastic. We love them dearly, but are thrilled to have four days in Melbourne without them.

My daughter, who began senior high school in February, is leaning into adulthood right before my eyes.

Our relationship is solid, but daily life can be hectic and distracting. She is busy studying, doing extra-curricular activities and navigating the challenges of teenage life. It seems more important than ever to strengthen our relationship, letting her know I am always there for her.

The chosen destination for our mother-daughter trip in December is Melbourne, which neither of us has explored. Along with experiencing a musical, our goals are to stay in an inner-city hotel (her: must have a funky vibe), hunt down some of Melbourne’s tastiest (her: trending) food and, of course, sightsee (her: shop).