Introduction: Previous work has established the role of parental beliefs in children’s learning and motivation. However, less is known about how parents’ self-perception of their own academic abilities contributes to children’s learning interest, particularly across different academic domains. This study, therefore, investigated the association between parents’ academic self-concept and children’s learning interest in language and literacy and mathematics and also examined whether these pathways operate differently across the two academic domains.

Materials and Methods: A total of 413 Hong Kong parents with children aged 3 to 5 years participated in this study. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing their academic self-concept in language and literacy and mathematics, perceived importance of their role in children’s language and literacy and mathematics learning, perceived behavioral control over supporting children’s language and literacy and mathematics learning, frequency of engagement in home language and literacy and mathematical activities, and perceptions of their children’s learning interest in language and literacy and mathematics.

Results and Discussion: Path analyses showed that parents’ academic self-concept in language and literacy was positively linked to children’s language and literacy interest through multiple pathways, including indirect effects via perceived behavioral control and home language and literacy activities, as well as a direct association. In contrast, parents’ academic self-concept in mathematics was positively related to children’s mathematics interest only indirectly through perceived importance of their role and perceived behavioral control, both with and without subsequent engagement in home mathematical activities. These findings highlight the importance of providing extra support to children whose parents have a low academic self-concept, strengthening parents’ beliefs about their role and capacity in home learning, and adopting domain-specific approaches to foster children’s language and literacy and mathematics interest.