The Celebrity Mother-of-the-Year candidate this week is. . . MELANIE GRIFFITH

Melanie was out with her daughter, DAKOTA. . . enjoying some lovely mother-daughter bonding time.


The two were outside of an L.A. store called Maxfield Wednesday. . . and were photographed smoking together.


The pictures show Melanie actually lighting a cigarette for Dakota while they were out.


Now, this might KIND OF be OK if Dakota was like, 25 or something. But she's not. No. . . she's only 17!!!