Whether you work outside the house or stay at home full-time, the toughest part of the day is the same: those frantic early evening hours when there are mouths to feed, homework to do, and cranky kids to handle. The trick is to streamline your to-do's so you can feel calmer and focus on what counts—spending time with your family. Here's how.

Some parents “let kids work it out” by doing nothing, but if the children use insults, humiliation, or physically duke it out, then it will only make matters worse! Some parents will dive into the action and solve problems for their children. While this may bring peace and order quickly, it robs children of an opportunity to learn and practice resolving conflicts.

Families today are busy. With after school sports and other activities driving of our lives, a sit down dinner often falls off the “to-do list.” But a family dinner is more than just eating vegetables: research shows that sitting down to dinner is an important protective factor in maintaining the health and well-being of your children.

Love is more than a wonderful gift to give your children; it’s also good insurance. Showing your love tells them they are worthy of love and respect and shapes their expectations of how others treat them.

Mother-daughter relationships are possibly the most satisfying and the most agonizing relationships women share. They are also our closest bond and the key to all other relationships. Exploring this relationship can help mothers and daughters to understand their own emotions, and what to expect from others.

Parenting is a full time effort, but sometimes it’s your own parents who need attention—especially when they are getting ready to retire. As a culture, we do a lousy job of helping people with this transition. At best, we encourage them to be sure they have enough money. But that’s just the price of admission. To retire well, there are a whole lot more important things to consider.