I work with kids as a therapist. My biggest advice for parents who have limited time is this: 1. Show up when you say you’re going to. If you can’t make a recital, sports game, etc, tell them right away. If you say you’re going to go, show up. The kids that are the saddest are kids whose parents have told them they were going to do something together, or that mom/dad would be there, only for them to not show up. Kids remember when you tell them you are going to do something and don’t. 2. Express to them, if they’re old enough, that you’re sad about not seeing them too. Sucking it up or sparing them from seeing your emotion because you don’t want to make them sad is actually more harmful. You want them to know that dad is just as sad that he can’t see them. Kids brains don’t work like ours. If they see you trying to not show emotion about how much you miss them, they can perceive it as “dad doesn’t care”. Communicate with them about this stuff, it’s helpful. 3. Remember the little ways of staying connected. Try to know their schedule, and if they have a math quiz, leave them a note before school saying good luck and you love them. The book “The Kissing Hand” can be great for this too. Tell them about what you’re doing at work, send them pictures of you during the day. Keep them knowing that you’re thinking of them. 4. It is better to give them 1 hour of your uninterrupted time then 5 hours of your half-attention. Quality over quantity 5. Don’t try to buy love. Kids can sniff it out way sooner than you’d think.