Parental care in birds and mammals is so familiar to all of us that it seems unlikely that it can hold any fresh surprises or offer any new insights. However, there are important aspects of parental care that are commonly overlooked when its role in evolution is discussed. Parental care is one of the major routes through which information is transferred across generations. It is largely through the effects of parental care that animal traditions become established. The information transmitted through parental care relates to all the aspects of life; some is used everyday, some only rarely. Information is transmitted through several different but usually interacting channels, and is essential for the survival and reproduction of the offspring. A look at some typical parental behaviour, that of the common domestic mouse, will show the remarkable range and importance of the information that is transmitted from parent to offspring.