Background This study examined parenting practices, parental stress, and problem behaviors among urban Children of Substance Abusing Parents. Method One hundred and seven children completed the Child Rating Scale and the Children's Depression Inventory. Parents completed the Parenting Practices Scale‐Parent Version, Parenting Stress Index, and internalizing and externalizing scales on the Parent Observation of Classroom Adaptation. Results Structural Equation Modeling findings support an indirect effects pathway in which unfavorable parenting practices predict parental stress and parental stress predicts internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Conclusion The results argue for assessing parental stress and including activities to improve the parent‐child bond in family intervention programs.