This book is designed to serve as a practical reference guide for parents. The bulk of it is devoted to a stage-by-stage study of the black child's development from infancy through adolescence with special emphasis on the role of parents and teachers of school age children. The book begins with a brief summary of the historical experience of black youth in America. A question-and-answer format is used throughout the book. Most child care books are considered to be geared toward the middle-income white family, and few discuss race-related issues of child rearing and low-income children and families. Because race-related and income-related issues are said to cause special problems, it is held essential that an approach to child rearing that takes these important factors into consideration be available. Among the topics discussed are how children mature and how that growth affects their emotional, psychological, and social development. The intent is to share with the parent some of the latest findings and thinking in the child development field. Knowing the causes of black family problems and what can be done about them, as well as having an awareness of black family and community strengths, can affect how black mothers and fathers think about themselves and, in turn, influence the kind of care they give their young. It can also affect, it is stated, how white teachers and others view black youth. (Author/JM)