This study assesses the relationship of patterns of relating between mothers and their preschool-aged children. Thirty-one families were used, and the mother and child participated in the Marschak Interaction Method Rating System (MIM-RS). Mothers also completed the Demographic Data Questionnaire. Correlations based upon the MIM-RS for mothers and their preschool-aged children produced significant results. Mother's ability to structure, challenge, engage, nurture and facilitate their child's regulatory processes positively related/influenced their preschool-age child's ability to demonstrate exploratory behaviors, reciprocity with their parent and to demonstrate regulatory behaviors. A parent who was not able to structure, challenge, engage, nurture and facilitate their child's regulatory processes produced a child who was not capable of exploring their environment, regulating their own self-regulatory processes or staying within a comfortable and communicative stance with their parent. (Contains 4 tables.)