My daughter doesn't care how much money I make (or don't make), what kind of car I drive or how good I look in a pencil skirt, all she wants is quality time. She wants to help me cook, play the Wii, even help me file my receipts. She's an excellent "shipper" ... she puts labels on packages I mail out and stamps on notes I write. All of that in her mind is QT: quality time.

It's so hard working, keeping the house in order, the paper monster under control and let's not mention the dust bunnies (dust rhinos?) that need to be eliminated. All of that can wait, I've discovered, in exchange for the joy I see on my daughter's face when I shine my light on her.

So we've been playing games, reading books together and every day for the past couple of weeks I've taken her to the pool. In our community we have a great pool where the residents gather to eat, socialize and play (let's not forget tanning, there's a lot of tanning going on!). Even with 45 minutes between homework or errands or karate, we run up there just to have a smidgin of fun before it's back to whatever is next.

I know for sure I'm all the better for turning off the computer, the phones, and the TV and just asking her what she wants to do with me. Sometimes it is turn on the computer and play a game, rent a movie and pop popcorn or just read another book in the Nancy Drew series. Take some extra time very soon to shine your light on your kids and watch how happy all of you become. That's what I call a successful single mom in action!