Mothering Practices and Reconstruction of Mother-Child Relationships in Early Puberty: Lived Experiences of Mothers with 4th Graders
AUTHOR : 최정아, 이재림, 김영선
INFORMATION : page. 157~185 / 2021 Vol.28 No.4
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to explore mothers’ experiences during their child’s transition from childhood to adolescence as active agents who practice mothering and who co-construct the mother-child relationship with their developing child. Our interview participants were 15 mothers whose first child was in 4th grade. Our thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes and several subsequent themes. The first theme, “the mother and the child at the corner of puberty,” had three sub-themes: (a) the beginning of puberty, (b) fighting against smartphones and online games, and (c) learning to stay one step away from the child. The second theme was “managing the 4th grader’s studies,” which included three sub-themes: (a) anxiety about academic achievement, considerations about private education, (b) creating study habits, and (c) difficulties teaching one’s own child. The third theme, “a mother with 10 years of experience,” included four sub-themes: (a) the child as the center of life, (b) trial and error as a mother, (c) on-going growth as a mother, and (d) desire to pursue their own identity and career. In the context of sociological ambivalence between the ideology of motherhood and an emphasis on women s individuality in contemporary South Korea, this study contributes to the literature by expanding our understanding of the mother-child relationship in early puberty and by revealing the efforts, struggles, and personal growth of mothers who had practiced mothering for a decade.