This collection of 13 articles reprinted from the journal "Childhood Education" is organized into three sections: (1) Families: Structure, Status, and Stresses; (2) Parenting; and (3) Schools and the Family. The first section consists of six articles dealing with issues surrounding the changing family and early childhood education, family folklore, support systems for black families, divorce and children, bilingual education and family needs, and helping abused and neglected children. In the second section, four articles examine the historical role of parenting, children's stress and the parent role, crises in adolescence, and new options for fathers in childrearing. Finally, improving the quality of family life, establishing a parent education resource center, and involving working parents in school are discussed in the collection's third section. (MP)