Character Analysis
Mae Thompson is by far the least defined parental unit in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Given her husband's football field-sized personality, however, it makes sense that she takes a background role.
We do get the sense that she acts as a confidante to her children. Most notably, Little Russ is much more open to her about his personal issues than he is with his father. Look at this revelation:
BIG RUSS: Quit? I thought he was cut.
MAE: He was afraid to tell you he quit.
In this way, Mae proves herself to be far more sensitive and caring than Big Russ. She also subtly pushes him towards understanding his children better without being too direct about it, which would assuredly have elicited a negative reaction from her cantankerous partner. She might not be flashy, but she proves herself to be a great mother with a strong understanding of her family's needs.