This guide contains the materials required to teach a competency-based course to increase students' knowledge of parenting and child development concepts and to build specific skills needed by informed, sensitive caregivers. It consists of an instructor's manual, instructor's resource package, and student workbook. The following topics are covered in the 13 instructional units: describing the family and its future; parenting; describing pregnancy, prenatal care, and childbirth; applying child development concepts; caring for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children; guiding children; promoting children's well-being; selecting children's clothing; caring for children with special needs, gifts, and talents; caring for children in crisis; evaluating child care services and community resources; and exploring careers relating to children. In the instructor's manual are the following: information on using the guide; a section for each unit listing activities and resources needed, focus assignments, objectives, evaluation methods, references, and written tests and answers; and an instructional supplement that provides additional teaching aids. The resource package contains the following: learning activity package sheets that allow instructors to individualize instruction for some/all students, transparency masters, written tests, and handouts. The student workbook includes one set of objective, information, assignment, and job sheets for each unit. Academic skills training is combined with vocational training throughout the instructional materials, and a system of icons has been used to help instructors identify activities into which training in nine basic skill areas has been infused into the curriculum. A basic skills documentation matrix correlates skills with units of instruction. (MN)