For this week's Father's Day Tuesday, I wanted to get back to a question Robert asked early on: 

The one thing I'd like to discuss is how other working Dads work to develop a close bond with their children when Mom is the one they see all day. My two year old and I have a great relationship but sometimes I need to work twice as hard for his affection, I wonder if other Dads face this issue.

This week's Guest Dad is my friend Howard Libit, The Sun's assistant managing editor for breaking news, whose son is also (almost) 2. As you can imagine, the length of Howard's work day depends on something out of his control -- the news. Here's his post:

"This question is something I struggle with all the time. My wife picks up our almost 2-year-old son from day care each day around 4:45 or 5, and she spends each weeknight evening with him -- including dinner and bathtime. I almost never get home from work before his bedtime, which is 8 p.m.

"So I try to set up my own rituals with my son. Mornings are our time -- whenever he wakes up, I get him out of bed and change him. We play together for a little while, and then eat breakfast together. (He especially likes eating from "daddy's cereal.") I get him dressed for day care, and then I drop him off. My wife is usually around in the morning, but I'm the one who is more focused on him. It's only about 90 minutes together each day -- as opposed to the three hours my wife gets each night -- but it's our way of bonding.

"The other big piece is weekends. Grocery shopping has become the ritual for my son and me -- our piece of together-time, either Saturday or Sunday mornings. My wife gets a little alone-time in the house, and we get to pick out red apples and visit the "cheese man" -- the deli counter guy who usually slips my son a piece of cheese. Even on weekends, we usually keep up the rituals. I still handle the mornings, letting my wife sleep in a bit. And I try not to disrupt her ritual of bathtime with our son.

"So every morning, I get a reminder that I'm still the subject of my son's affection. Whenever he wakes up and wants attention, he always calls for Daddy. Of course, when it's 2 a.m., I'm not always sure I want quite that much affection."

If you're a dad who often works late or travels, how do you stay connected with your children? How does the dynamic change when there's more than one child? Please let us know by commenting below (don't forget to hit the blue Comments button to get the posting form.)

(Photo of Howard Libit with his son, Elliot, courtesy of Howard Libit)