Klein and Levine argue that being an effective father is about more than devoting time to your children. Sometimes, in fact, less time is better than more. In 1994, Levine's group conducted in-depth research on what children want from working parents. Even the best intentions don't count for much without crisp execution. When it comes to mastering both work and home life, little techniques can count for a lot.
Travel presents a classic challenge.
Encourage kids to fax you their homework or drawings. Get them an email address. Instead, use the phone to get updates. Then, when you get home, you can start in the middle of the family conversation. Marriott's fatherhood program is wildly popular.