my %child_info;
foreach my $params (@params_for_children)
{
    if ( my $pid = fork() ) 
    {
        $child_info{$pid} = $params;
    }
    else 
    {
        do_childish_things($params);
        croak "Child fork exited - should never happen\n";
    }
}

while ( my $pid = wait() ) 
{
    last if $pid = -1;
    my $exit_status = $?;
    report_dead_child($pid, $exit_status, $child_info{$pid});
}