Mothering and Health
Beliefs about mothering can be stressful. Unattainable myths of family life, ideals that are extremely difficult to attain, and the culture of mother blaming have consequences for the mental health of mothers as they seek to navigate their own life course (Zimmerman et al. 2008).
The cultural pervasiveness of intensive mothering -- a belief in child centeredness, in which mothers are called to sacrifice as they pour time, money and energy into children (see Hays 1996) is well established by scholars. Today, some cultural researchers look at the consequences of a culture of intensive mothering on mothers' health. For instance, mothers receiving public assistance encounter hardship through the double-bind of reconciling the identity of "good mother" while simultaneously attempting to fulfill mandated work requirements tied to welfare support (McCormack 2005). As these poor mothers endeavor to perform intensive mothering, the lack of social support and actual barriers to these ideals has consequences for their physical and mental well-being (Elliott, Powell, and Brenton 2013).
Another example is the so-called “Mommy Wars” between mothers who stay at home and employed moms. This may be largely a media-created phenomenon, falsely reifying differences between mothers. Yet, it may create mistrust among mothers in the community and harm their mental health and well-being. The contradiction and polarization of defining success in competing terms (an ideal worker with no family responsibilities versus a mother with 100% of time devoted to child rearing) traps mothers in roles that mothers inevitability perceive as judged and unsupported (Johnston and Swanson 2004).
References
Hays, Sharon. 1996. The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Elliott, Sinikka, Rachel Powell, and Joslyn Brenton. 2013. “Being a Good Mom Low-Income, Black Single Mothers Negotiate Intensive Mothering.” Journal of Family Issues 0192513X13490279.
McCormack, Karen. 2005. “Stratified Reproduction and Poor Women’s Resistance.” Gender & Society 19:660-79.
Johnston, Deirdre D., and Debra H. Swanson. 2004.“Moms Hating Moms: The Internalization of Mother War Rhetoric.” Sex Roles 51:497-509.
Zimmerman, Toni Schindler, Jennifer T. Aberle, Jennifer L. Krafchick, and Ashley M. Harvey. 2008. “Deconstructing the ‘Mommy Wars’: The Battle Over the Best Mom.” Journal of Feminist Family Therapy 20:203-319.
The cultural pervasiveness of intensive mothering -- a belief in child centeredness, in which mothers are called to sacrifice as they pour time, money and energy into children (see Hays 1996) is well established by scholars. Today, some cultural researchers look at the consequences of a culture of intensive mothering on mothers' health. For instance, mothers receiving public assistance encounter hardship through the double-bind of reconciling the identity of "good mother" while simultaneously attempting to fulfill mandated work requirements tied to welfare support (McCormack 2005). As these poor mothers endeavor to perform intensive mothering, the lack of social support and actual barriers to these ideals has consequences for their physical and mental well-being (Elliott, Powell, and Brenton 2013).
Another example is the so-called “Mommy Wars” between mothers who stay at home and employed moms. This may be largely a media-created phenomenon, falsely reifying differences between mothers. Yet, it may create mistrust among mothers in the community and harm their mental health and well-being. The contradiction and polarization of defining success in competing terms (an ideal worker with no family responsibilities versus a mother with 100% of time devoted to child rearing) traps mothers in roles that mothers inevitability perceive as judged and unsupported (Johnston and Swanson 2004).
References
Hays, Sharon. 1996. The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Elliott, Sinikka, Rachel Powell, and Joslyn Brenton. 2013. “Being a Good Mom Low-Income, Black Single Mothers Negotiate Intensive Mothering.” Journal of Family Issues 0192513X13490279.
McCormack, Karen. 2005. “Stratified Reproduction and Poor Women’s Resistance.” Gender & Society 19:660-79.
Johnston, Deirdre D., and Debra H. Swanson. 2004.“Moms Hating Moms: The Internalization of Mother War Rhetoric.” Sex Roles 51:497-509.
Zimmerman, Toni Schindler, Jennifer T. Aberle, Jennifer L. Krafchick, and Ashley M. Harvey. 2008. “Deconstructing the ‘Mommy Wars’: The Battle Over the Best Mom.” Journal of Feminist Family Therapy 20:203-319.
