As a society, we believe that persons affected by a public decision should be represented in the development of that policy. The Family Community Leadership program (FCL), recently launched in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington, has been established to increase homemakers' understanding of social concerns that influence families, and to increase their skills and participation in dealing with these concerns in the public arena. However, observation indicates that homemakers' involvement in public affairs increases tension within their families. Several studies, i.e, a 1977 study by the Center for American Women and Politics, the evaluation of public affairs leadership development programs in five states (California, Washington, Montana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania), and the Impact Assessment of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership program, confirm this observation of increased family tension, and indicate a negative influence on future participation in public affairs for homemakers. Further analyses of the data from these surveys indicates that homemakers tend to use two broad strategies for coping with increased family tension: isolation/insulation (keeping the strain from family members), or integration/reintegration (incorporating new demands into the family's life style). These findings have implications for public affairs education in the university extension, whose programs might incorporate, in addition to the traditional foci of public affairs education programs, content and skills that will help participants anticipate intrapersonal and interpersonal growth stress, and that will equip them to help their families adjust to new roles and relationships. (MCF)