I admire my Mum on many many levels. She was a single Mum too from when I was 3. Until I was 20. I have older and younger brothers, Mum stayed at home until we were in primary school, then studied until we were in high school before returning to work. That's beside the point. Whatever Mum did (and she was a sporty, crafty one), it's not the activity I remember, it's that she was 100% present with us. It could be 5 minutes reading a story, but she wasn't thinking about what was going to be on TV later, or what she had to do tomorrow, she was thinking about what adventure Peter Rabbit was up to.

Be present. That is the best thing you can do, it makes even the smallest time period precious. My Mum also had a special song for each of us that she sang to us as we went to sleep. I still remember it. It was our special thing, hers and mine and no one else had that particular thing.