This study used data from both 225 fathers and mothers as well as their secondary school age children to explore the role of child characteristics (sex, age, self-esteem, and emotional and behavioural well-being) in mother's and father's involvement in biological and restructured (stepfather) two-parent families after controlling for known confounding factors. Parent involvement was assessed by both the child and the parents. Child-reported father's involvement was positively related to child-reported child's self-esteem, and child-reported mother's involvement was higher for girls. The interaction between family structure and father-reported child's emotional and behavioural problems was significant in predicting father-reported father's involvement. Stepfathers reported higher involvement when they viewed their stepchildren as psychologically well adjusted than when they viewed them as having emotional and behavioural problems. As a group, child characteristics were more significant in predicting fathers' than mothers' involvement. (Contains 4 tables and 1 footnote.)