The purpose of the study was to identify maternal child rearing practices and socioeconomic factors that promote young children's school readiness and achievement. The subjects were 68 children enrolled in kindergarten through third grade at The Florida State University Developmental Research School and their mothers. The mothers completed the Child Rearing Practices Questionnaire (CRPQ). The children were given a school readiness test during entrance to kindergarten, an intelligence test at the end of the first grade, and grade-level achievement tests at the end of each school year. The mother's child rearing practices scores were analyzed with the child's intelligence quotient, school readiness, and achievement scores. Findings indicated that mothers' use of punishment as opposed to reason appeared to be related to the child's readiness for school, reading achievement, and basic skills achievement. Mothers' level of rules of behavior used appeared to have an important effect on the child's readiness for school. Finally, mothers' level of rewarding children appeared to be important in the child's reading achievement. (26 references) (RH)