The struggle to balance work responsibilities with family obligations may be most difficult for
working parents of the youngest children, those five and under. Any policy changes designed to
ease the difficulties for these families are likely to be controversial, requiring a careful effort to
weigh both the costs and benefits of possible interventions while respecting diverse and at times
conflicting American values. In this article, Christopher Ruhm looks at two potential interventions—parental leave and early childhood education and care (ECEC)—comparing differences
in policies in the United States, Canada, and several European nations and assessing their
consequences for important parent and child outcomes.