Parenting is a subject about which people typically hold strong opinions, but about which too little solid information or considered reflection exists. And clearly critical questions about parenting abound. Moreover, the family generally, and parenting specifically, are today in a greater state of flux, question, and re-definition than perhaps ever before. Practically speaking, contemporary times have witnessed the emergence of striking permutations in parenting from what had narrowly been thought of as the two-parent wife-and-husband "norm": Consider the rise of blended families, lesbian and gay parents, and teen versus fifties first-time moms and dads. The "Handbook of Parenting" encompasses the broad themes of who parents are, whom parents parent, the scope of parenting and its effects, the determinants of parenting, and the nature, structure, and meaning of parenthood for parents and children. Chapters in the "Handbook of Parenting" describe the many functions of parenting and underscore the many positives that accompany parenting, while they also offer solutions for its many challenges. This article discusses the second edition of the "Handbook of Parenting" and all five volumes. Volume 1 concerns "Children and Parenting," Volume 2 concerns the "Biology and Ecology of Parenting," Volume 3 concerns "Being and Becoming a Parent," Volume 4 concerns "Social Conditions and Applied Parenting," and Volume 5 concerns "Practical Issues in Parenting."