Did I just get bribed to do a good deed?

The other day I was going through my oldest daughter's book bag and found a note aimed at all of the parents. The school was asking each family to give their child a dollar to donate to a fund-raiser being held for a family in Cincinnati. I mentioned the fund-raiser to Isabelle, who is 6 and in kindergarten. She took in the information I gave her and then very sweetly and somewhat concerned asked, "Daddy, do we have a dollar?"

I smiled at the innocent question before thinking, "Well, in this household, it's probably a reasonable question." Still, I found it endearing, since even on our worst days, we generally have a dollar, maybe even several dollars... somewhere... in the couch cushions. And so I assured my daughter that I had a dollar, and she could take it to school.

She trotted off somewhere, and I started to admire the school. To help get parents to reach into their pockets, the school promised that the children whose parents participated would get to wear pajamas to school and participate in a party and see a movie. Since this was going to happen on Valentine's Day, when a party for the kids were already scheduled, I assumed that everyone would see the film and be in the party--but the kids whose families donated, would get to wear their night clothes.

And, of course, I was going to give Isabelle the dollar--to help her have a fun day and to know that we'd be helping a family. But I couldn't help think: Did they just bribe me in order to do a good deed?