In recent years, society has emphasized the desirability of being thin. Although children may learn the attractiveness of being thin from society, another influential component may be their parents' attitudes toward food, eating, and eating restraint. This study investigated the dieting practices and beliefs in fourth-grade children and their mothers. The children's self-esteem, locus of control, and eating restraint were also assessed. Fifty children and their mothers completed an eating restraint scale; the children also completed measures of self-esteem and locus of control. Based on previous findings, children with higher eating restraint were expected to have lower self-esteem. Although the children's eating restraint, self-esteem, and locus of control were not related, the mothers' eating restraint was found to be positively related to their daughters' eating restraint and internality scores. No relationship was found between the mothers' eating restraint and their sons' eating restraint, locus of control, or self-concept measures. These findings can be interpreted in terms of same-sex identification processes. (Author/NB)