March 1980

Is Government Helping or Hurting American Families?

Unlike most other major industrialized countries, the U.S. has never had a national family policy or office to assess the impact of legislation and policies on families. Yet, laws passed and policies set at all governmental levels profoundly affect family well-being, directly and indirectly.

Where to learn energy-efficient CONSTRUCTION SKILLS

Do you dream of building an addition to your home, or even a whole house, with your own two hands? Or wonder how you might retrofit your home to use the sun for heating? You might see yourself swinging a hammer, wielding a saw, then stepping back to behold your new castle.

Showcased settees

ADD-ON PLANT PLACES

TWO WAYS TO G

Fed up with your kitchen? Judging from our reader mail and our cross-country travels, an enormous number of cooks are. But there's the good news: You can reshape your kitchen to suit you-- our taste, your cooking habits, your life-style, and your budget. To prove it, here are the real-life case histories of two families. See for ourself how they turned their problem-plagued kitchens around.

Which ones should you buy?

You've pared the list of new models down to one car, tracked down one dealer you trust, and you're ready to make a deal. Can you end this exhausting task by simply agreeing on a price and driving off in your new car? Not usually. Most auto salespeople will want to parade a bewildering list of optional equipment past you.

A long-run boy's room

A boy's quarters should keep pace with his changing needs and interests. But that doesn't mean you have to redecorate the room every few years. With careful planning and thoughtful furniture selection, you can create a child's bedroom that lasts from age four to 14.

Genetic diseases and birth defects: What every family needs to know

Tens of thousands of American babies are born each year with serious hereditary or genetic defects, which take a grim toll-- unless they can be detected and treated early.

Mini antenna

Wall covering primer/sealer

Quick furniture finish

Gentle rust remover

Convenient cabinets

TIPS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

This feature is written by you. It's a wide-ranging collection of shop hints, installation tips, and repair shortcuts that you-- along with millions like you-- have picked up from your experience as a do-it-yourselfer. We pay $25 for each problem solver we publish. See the box below for submission details.

NEW IDEAS

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO HOME REPAIR, MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT

How do other families cope with inflation?

Few among us escape the fallout from inflation these days, but it can be comforting-- and helpful-- to hear about how other families are coping. Here are the stories of two hard-pressed-but-coping families-- one that added a second income to help meet rising prices, and one that had to make do after the loss of a second income.

SUMMER JOBS FOR KIDS: how parents can help

If you start checking out the summer options now, your youngster will have the best chance possible to land the right job

Investor savvy

Coordinated cover-ups

Fabric protection unlimited

Stenciling from A to Z

Touring exhibits

Like ballet and theater, museum exhibitions have become favorite national pastimes, and luckily many of the major shows travel extensively throughout the country. Here are a few of this season's exhibits that are well worth a visit.

Woven wood window treatments

Almost all windows can be enhanced by woven wood shades or draperies. And these popular cover-ups are as functional as they are fashionable. They have excellent insulating qualities because they're made of thin wooden slats woven together with strong yarns. You can choose from a variety of ready-made woven wood treatments or have shades or draperies custom-made to fit most any window. Here are some helpful shopping tips.

Gardener's log

"Daffodils, that come before the swallow dares, and take the winds of March with beauty"

DESIGN-IT-YOURSELF DISHES & LINENS

To chase away the morning chill, set this warm and inviting breakfast table with paint-it-yourseif dishes and bright appliquéd accessories. Decorating a set of dinnerware is easy when you start with pre-molded pieces from a local ceramist's shop. First you paint the patterns onto the pre-fired pieces, then add the glazes.

Great Flowers FROMSEED

This spring, why not give your home an inexpensive beauty treatment with bright, blooming annual flowers? These versatile plants fit easily into any landscape plan and are available in an almost limitless selection of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Getting the look you like for less

Part of the pleasure of buying a house is planning what to do with every nook and cranny-- how to use the space and how to furnish it. But once a young family gets past the down payment and into the monthly mortgage bills, money for furnishings is apt to be scarce, especially if the house is an old one that needs repair or remodeling.

Big Yields In Small Spaces

If the high cost of eating is getting you down, why not put your backyard vegetable garden into all-out production? It won't take a lot of extra work, and you'll be rewarded with more produce than you ever thought possible. To get you started, we've collected some yield-boosting tips that have been garden tested.

A STORE-IT-ALL SEWING CENTER

Do you love to sew but hate the hassle of getting a new project started? By the time you hunt up the pattern and fabric, retrieve the scissors from the kids, and rescue unraveling spools of thread from the cat, you're ready to quit for the day.

10 ways to save on veterinary care

Like almost everything else, the cost of good veterinary care is on the upswing. But that doesn't mean there still aren't ways to economize. Here's how to save on veterinary bills without compromising your pet's health care.

Learn to Play Tennis

There couldn't be a better time for your family to learn to play tennis. And a tennis vacation in which you immerse yourselves in instruction and play for several consecutive days may well be the very best way to get acquainted with the sport.

How to order material from the magazine

Starina orange-red fragrant flowers of classic form with 1¾-inch blooms on 18-inch bushes when full grown.

Shopping editor's choice

... the ease and pleasure of shopping by ... Order from the convenience of your own ... with complete confidence. If not delighted, ... company will happily refund your money.

The Man Next Door

Lee Bayless just returned from a nofrills jet trip to the Coast. He reports that no movies were offered on the flight, but one of the stewardesses did pass around some snapshots of her basketball-player fiancé.