public function children_running($bucket = self::DEFAULT_BUCKET, $show_pending = false)
	{
		// force reaping of children
		$this->signal_handler_sigchild(SIGCHLD);

		// return global count if bucket is default
		if ($bucket == self::DEFAULT_BUCKET)
		{
			return ($show_pending ? count($this->forked_children) : $this->forked_children_count);
		}

		// count within the specified bucket
		$count = 0;
		foreach ($this->forked_children as $child)
		{
			if ($show_pending)
			{
				if ($child['bucket'] == $bucket)
				{
					$count++;
				}
			}
			else if (($child['bucket'] == $bucket) && ($child['status'] != self::STOPPED))
			{
				$count++;
			}
		}

		return $count;
	}