public List<Environment<K,V>> getChildren( String name ) {

	List<Environment<K,V>> tmpList = this.children.get( name );
	
	if( tmpList == null || tmpList.size() == 0 )
	    return new ArrayList<Environment<K,V>>();

	// else
	List<Environment<K,V>> list = new ArrayList<Environment<K,V>>( tmpList.size() );
	
	for( int i = 0; i < tmpList.size(); i++ ) {
	    
	    list.add( tmpList.get(i) );
	    
	}

	return list;
    }