The analysis presented here focuses on different problem situations extracted from everyday interactions in which individual developmental changes of the child interfere with well-established interaction patterns of the family. These problem situations require conjoint mastery of two objectives: (a) successful integration of the child into the family system, and (b) adaptation of the interaction patterns of the family to the new abilities and needs of the child. It is hypothesized that the "course" of development of a socializing family can be likened to the process of differentiation, specification, and hierarchical integration of a developing organism, according to Heinz Werner's conception of the "orthogenetic principle," and it is suggested that this process can be confined to a few "critical" situations, over a period of time, in which new problems associated with the development of the child emerge and have to be resolved. Proceeding from Havighurst's conception of developmental tasks, one can view such critical situations in which the family system has to be newly balanced as "socialization tasks." Methodologically, this approach provides a basis for the comparison of families in their management of socialization problems in everyday situations. This approach may also lead to a new way of looking at the interplay between individual and family development. (Author)