Career and vocational educators must prepare people with the attitudes and skills needed for successful integration of work and family life. Ideally, life and career planning should be taught as a unit beginning in the middle school. A life/career planning course should incorporate such topics as interdependence of individual, family, and career systems; developmental stages of the individual, family, and career; values, realistic expectations, and priorities; career and life-style choices; coping with multiple roles; sex roles and stereotypes; parenthood/family life education; child care and elder care options; managing time, money, stress, and change; using resources and developing support systems; dual career and single parent/displaced homemaker issues; and cultural differences in family-work attitudes. An example of junior/senior high programs is Home and Career Skills, New York State's required seventh- and eighth-grade course. Programs for adults are being offered both at the college level and in technical institute and community college classrooms and workplace seminars. Benefits of successfully combining work and family roles are improved quality of life; greater individual contributions to the well-being of society; increased productivity; a wider pool of competent employees; better employee morale; more aware and informed citizens; and a more holistic upbringing for children. (11 references) (YLB)