Maternal intelligence- overstated?

[AbeSimpsonsWhiskeySour]

Why do so many studies link maternal intelligence to success?
Is it the related factors such as less likely to grow up in poverty, emphasis on education, more likely to find decent partner rather than abusive one? Or are those not relevant anymore? Have there been any recent studies to show that this is still the case?
I'm reasonably educated and have a job which uses my degree, however I'm working so hard I definitely don't have the amount of time to dedicate to spellings, reading, facilitate lots of time to supplementing their education or exploring their interests. I think there could be more exceptions to the original evidence around maternal intelligence.
Also is this only measure by academic achievement or is there any other measure which includes different types of intelligence?

Isn’t it maternal education levels rather than intelligence which is linked?
A lot will be to do with vocabulary and the type of language used in the home.

Interesting! Maternal intelligence and maternal employment/working hours may not have a strong correlation. Ie a mother of low intelligence may work long hours too.

Also, I read a study recently which found that children of stay at home mothers achieved better at school. There’s a study which proves everything!

I think the mother spending time with the child is very important and largely can’t be replaced by her intelligence.

Also, what does ‘success’ mean for children? How would we measure that?

Agreed. It's the stuff you put in at home, probably quite naturally, especially in the early years, talking to them etc. I got a Ladybird hand-me-down, probably 70s era so can't be sure of accuracy, it was called 'Learning with Mother' lol and it said at the start that 85% of a child's intelligence is in place by age 4. I remember that regularly while working now in a disadvantaged school and only getting the children at around 5... I was lucky to stay home with both of mine until preschool and certainly their vocabulary, their understanding and their experiences stood to them and still does. Intelligence doesn't always equal success of course, whatever you define that go be.

I think probably it isn’t necessarily the maternal intelligence itself it’s the fact that maternal education level is a reasonable proxy for prosperity.

The higher the level of education the mother has (bearing in mind the mother is usually the weakest economic “unit” in the couple), the more affluent the whole family is likely to be.

Because to be crude very few women earn more or are better educated than their husbands. So the better educated the woman is, the better educated the man is and the higher their collective earning potential.

I guess it is still the nature/nurture debate.
My mum has a masters degree and earns well and my brother and I both have degrees. My children start school academically ready but this has more to do with me being a teacher and how interested each of my children are.

I have prioritised working part time so money has been low the last few years but I’ve been able to focus on my own children’s learning, I’ve started working more hours and I’m debating increasing more when the youngest starts school but I am worried about having the time to support their learning if I do that.

I think life now is really difficult, even if you have inherited a high level of maternal intelligence, especially if you’re middle earners because the likelihood is both parents are working full or almost full time. I don’t know what the answer is but it’s tough and everyone is exhausted.

I assumed they just didn’t do fathers because the mother was likely to be the resident parent therefore a more permanent presence. What’s the point in the father being an Oxford don if he’s never in the kid’s life.

@mikado1 but women with better jobs are more likely to go back to work after maternity leave than women with jobs which pay barely more than benefits aren't they? So how can they spend more time at home?

@Garlicdoughball I suppose looking at fathers intelligence would be more useful when considering the genetic element. So for example my mum has a degree and speaks three languages, my dad is illiterate with queried learning disabilities.

I believe it’s a bit more complicated than that — a combination of genetic heritability, but from thousands of different genes, maternal IQ and educational achievement, poverty/ its lack in the home, birth order etc.

In my own family, my mother left school at 13, unable to read or write well, from a very poor, dysfunctional background, and my own upbringing was very deprived, whereas I am an educational high achiever — but it’s simply not possible to know what my mother’s ‘intelligence’ would have been in better circumstances. And no one, male or female, on that side of my ancestry, would have had any education or opportunity, so their intelligence never had a chance.

@BadCovers that's very true.

Oh I know Abe, it's not easy or straightforward. I took leave and had no money coming in.. I didn't have family or any other support so was happy to do that. Nonetheless, I think it is quality over quantity so lots of chat, rhymes, basically quality time, play together etc. One on one time where possible. It doesn't have to be for hours daily at all. Even nightly book reading from early on, I couldn't believe the knock on effect of that when my eldest started learning to read. He knew how language, phrases and stories worked from being read to from early on so it came to him very quickly (no formal instruction until 5.5 and I certainly wasn't teaching at home). Then you have my students who think being read a story for bedtime is something from picture books/films.. they've never had that experience. So much of that educationally and developmentally nourishing early home can't be easily replicated later. Obviously that doesn't mean those children can't succeed and many are very able, determined and motivated which can count for more!

If your mum is intelligent surely it’s just inherited, so you are more likely to be intelligent and get a better paid job?
Look at the royal family; they could afford the best education in the world but that didn’t translate to being the most intelligent people in the country.

@AbeSimpsonsWhiskeySour

You said:

"however I'm working so hard I definitely don't have the amount of time to dedicate to spellings, reading, facilitate lots of time to supplementing their education or exploring their interests."

Perhaps don't loose sight of why people have kids. It's more than just passing on some genetics.

I'm an "intelligent" person, I have a masters degree from a top university, I spent 10 years in a career using my degree, then changed career. My career has now taken a part time role in my life as I have children - and I NEED to spend time helping them with their reading, spellings, having fun and learning/growing together.

Perhaps it's having the intelligence to see what your kids need and having the chance to balance parenting and career?

The mechanisms aren’t fully understood but there is a definite and well established correlation. Vocabulary and language levels, value placed on education and cultural capital are all differences. I found this interesting https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-022-02405-y

@RatatouillePie I wish it was that simple but I'm a single parent and have to work full time to live.

The British birth cohort studies are the most robust set of evidence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britishbirthhcohortstudies

for these and many related questions.

You tube link

Basically, parental wealth predicts majority of educational and economic outcomes, over and above anything else