Abstract
What is the result of bringing unrealistic and overwhelming conditions of motherhood into the context of a global pandemic? This article aims to explore the impacts of maternal expectations and experiences in the context of COVID-19. Through first-person accounts of eighty self-identified mothers parenting through COVID, we aim to explore “good” mother myths, feelings of failure, and the paradoxical freedoms that occur under pandemic time.
Highlights
Motherhood is not for the faint of heart
We aim to explore good mother myths, feelings of failure, and the paradoxical freedoms that occur under pandemic time
Following a discussion of methods, we explore key themes, including the expectations of participants for good motherhood, feelings of failure engendered by pandemic parenting, and the interesting ways that COVID has, in some cases, allowed for a shift or reduction in maternal expectations
Summary
Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. At the best of times, in privileged circumstances, motherhood can be depleting, overwhelming, and extreme, thieving identity and time. The total immersion of motherhood may be exponentially more demanding at the intersections of identities—for single mothers, mothers who experience racism, homophobia, transphobia, or oppression based on disability or madness (O’Reilly 2007).[1] Much of the overwhelming impact of motherhood is rooted in the extent to which maternal parenting is established according to a set of scripts setting out specific behaviours which draw upon key expectations that govern the maintenance and expression of a challenging relationality between mother and child (Ennis 2014; O’Reilly 2004). What is the result of bringing unrealistic and overwhelming conditions of motherhood into the context of a global pandemic? This article aims to explore the impacts of maternal expectations and experiences in the context of COVID-19 through first-person accounts of eighty self-identified mothers. We aim to explore good mother myths, feelings of failure, and the paradoxical freedoms that occur under pandemic time
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
