<p>Maternal gatekeeping has gained growing attention as a gendered behavior that reinforces the unequal division of care work between mothers and fathers. However, little is known about how maternal gatekeeping affects mothers’ psychological resources and parenting stress. Drawing on feminist theory and psychological literature, this study examines the mediating roles of self-efficacy and life satisfaction in the relationship between maternal gatekeeping and parenting stress. The sample consisted of 367 Turkish mothers. Participants completed measures of maternal gatekeeping (including encouragement, control, and discouragement), general self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and parenting stress. The findings indicated that the "discouragement" and "control" dimensions of maternal gatekeeping are associated with higher levels of parenting stress, whereas the "encouragement" dimension is associated with lower stress levels. Mediation analyses revealed that self-efficacy and life satisfaction serially mediate the relationship between encouragement and discouragement behaviors and parenting stress, while only life satisfaction mediates the relationship involving control behaviors. The study highlights the psychological costs of gendered parenting norms and emphasizes the need for support systems that promote equitable caregiving. Implications include informing family counselors, policy makers, and parenting educators about the importance of empowering mothers and addressing structural inequalities in caregiving responsibilities. These findings may assist practitioners and educators in fostering more balanced parenting dynamics and enhancing maternal well-being.</p>