Each year, effective federal programs give parents the power to provide their children with affordable healthcare, nutritious food, stable housing, and early childhood education. These programs lift millions of children out of poverty, but also have long-term benefits--children in families who accessed these programs have higher educational…

Noting that the American public's concern for children is shaped by complicated and sometimes conflicting beliefs about family life, this paper examines the policy debates surrounding child care, early childhood development, family leave, and children's health insurance, and analyzes how well advocates have adapted to the new realities. Part 1 of…