This paper discusses three topics relevant to early child care and education: changing patterns in parenting; child care entitlements; and sex-role stereotyping and racism. Discussion of the first topic highlights the effects on parenting of such factors as: (1) high divorce rates; (2) poverty; (3) maternal employment; (4) shared parenting; and (5) lack of extended family support. To address these factors, support for changing parenting roles and educational support for parents are recommended. Discussion of the second topic, child care entitlements, examines the inability of working mothers, blue-collar workers, and those trying to escape from poverty to pay for high quality child care. It is argued that child care entitlements should not be based on government intervention in the family, but rather, should be consumer-oriented and supportive of parent choices. The use of vouchers for child care, and methods for funding child care entitlements, are considered. Recommendations for encouraging child care entitlements that support the family, and that base admission on the need for child care rather than on family income, are offered. The third topic discussed is sex-role stereotyping and racism. Although women make up 83.4 percent of elementary teachers, 80.4 percent of principals are men. The percentages of women in school administration are decreasing. As for the home, caring for children is still largely a woman's task. Recommendations for eliminating stereotyping in elementary curricula, teacher education, and media portrayals of women are offered, and roles that child advocacy organizations, public television, and private philanthropic organizations might play in promoting social justice, equity, and help for society's victims are suggested. (BC)