In the wake of intense national interest in very young children, this volume presents an examination of the findings of the Commonwealth Survey of Parents with Young Children, as analyzed by scholars from diverse disciplines. What emerges from this analysis is a picture of the complex forces that influence families and child rearing in the earliest years: how parents spend time with their children, the economic and social challenges they face, and the supports they receive to improve their childrens health and development. The chapters are: (1) Introduction and Overview (Neal Halfon, Kathryn Taaffe McLearn, and Mark A. Schuster); (2) Resources Devoted to Child Development by Families and Society (M. Rebecca Kilburn and Barbara L. Wolfe); (3) Preparing for Parenthood: Whos Ready, Whos Not? (Constance T. Gager, Sara S. McLanahan, and Dana A. Glei); (4) Meeting the Challenges of New Parenthood: Responsibilities, Advice, and Perceptions (Allison Sidle Fuligni and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn); (5) Reading, Rhymes, and Routines: American Parents and Their Young Children (Pia Rebello Britto, Allison Sidle Fuligni, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn); (6) Child Discipline in the First Three Years of Life (Lawrence S. Wissow); (7) Breastfeeding in the United States Today: Are Families Prepared? (Wendelin M. Slusser and Linda Lange); (8) Depressive Symptoms in Parents of Children under Age 3: Sociodemographic Predictors, Current Correlates, and Associated Parenting Behaviors (Karlen Lyons-Ruth, Rebecca Wolfe, Amy Lyubchik, and Ronald Steingard); (9) Prenatal Care, Delivery, and Birth Outcomes (Paul H. Wise); (10) Access to Health Care for Young Children in the United States (Paul W. Newacheck, Miles Hochstein, Kristen S. Marchi, and Neal Halfon); (11) Anticipatory Guidance: What Information Do Parents Receive? What Information Do They Want? (Mark A. Schuster, Michael Regalado, Naihua Duan, and David J. Klein); (12) New Models of Pediatric Care (Barry Zuckerman and Steven Parker); and (13) Families with Children under 3: What We Know and Implications for Results and Policy (Neal Halfon and Kathryn Taaffe McLearn). Each chapter contains references. (KB)