In this busy world of two-breadwinner-families, most parents feel pressured for time and find themselves constantly rushing. This fact may not be changing in the near future, so we must find a way to deal with it. While it would be lovely to have a slow-paced life conducive to relaxed parenting, this is a luxury reserved for very few. However, this doesn't mean that children need to feel neglected or unloved! Kids actually don't need all that much DIRECT attention from their parents. They need to see that their parents are around. Even toddlers don't need to play directly with parents; they can explore their environment happily as long as a parent is nearby - cooking, cleaning, reading mail or whatever. School age children are busy with their own activities and certainly don't need parents to play with them. They just like the feel of having their parents home. So your job is easier than you think. Basically, you just need to be home enough for your kids to feel like you are there. And while you're there you need to establish a loving atmosphere with appropriate boundaries - which means be pleasant when the kids are behaving and be pleasant even when you must discipline them. Give compliments, make jokes and be up-beat. Even though you've got a lot to do and little time to do it in, be careful not to take out frustration on the kids. In fact, make it your policy to NEVER yell at them. Whatever they are doing wrong, don't even try to deal with it until you've had a moment to think about what intervention might be productive (unless, of course, there is a life-threatening emergency - then do whatever you want!). Sometimes that moment won't come until hours later, but that is O.K. It is better to have a productive plan of action that empowers you as a parent while it provides effective education for your kids than to take action in the moment that destroys your home.  Sarah Chana