Abstract
We evaluated whether maternal parenting strategies (maternal achievement-oriented control and maternal monitoring) and maternal teaching strategies are related to children’s academic competence in middle childhood. We also assessed whether the relations of maternal parenting strategies with children’s academic competence are mediated by maternal teaching strategies. Children (N = 112, 10-13 years old) reported on maternal parenting strategies and their own academic competence. Mother-child dyads participated in an interaction task coded for positive and negative maternal teaching strategies. Results reveal that mothers who use less achievement-oriented control have children with higher academic competence. Mothers who monitor their children’s whereabouts more and use fewer negative teaching strategies also tend to have children with higher academic competence. Observed maternal teaching strategies did not act as mediators between maternal parenting strategies and children’s academic competence. These findings advance our understanding of how maternal factors relate to children’s academic competence in middle childhood.