Compared 70 2-parent families with 38 boys and 32 girls (aged 12 mo) and 67 2-parent families with 34 boys and 33 girls (aged 18 mo) on composite measures of family environment variables, parents’ perception of their children, and on process variables from home observations. Mothers and fathers participated in separate interviews and completed questionnaires on family and child behaviors. Mothers and their children participated in the Ainsworth Strange Situation, and the families were observed for 4 hrs. Parents of 12-mo-olds reported greater marital adjustment and more pleasure in parenting than parents of 18-mo-olds. 12-mo-olds received more positive responses from mothers, and 18-mo-olds received more instructions and directions from both parents. Insecure boys (both avoidant and resistant) received the least instructions and directions from both parents, but insecure-avoidant girls received the most instruction from fathers.