Mothering work and emerging adult children.

Abstract

Mothering is a major occupational role for many women however the research to date tends to focus on the transition to parenthood and mothering young children. Missing from the literature is an exploration of mothering beyond the early years of a child's life. This qualitative research study uses grounded theory methods to explore the experience of mothering typically developing emerging adult children. In-depth semi structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with 14 women between the ages of 47-63 years old with at least one child who was between the ages of 18-29 years old (an emerging adult). All of the participants were living in the Midwestern United States. The goal of this study is to explore how mothering experience changes and evolves over time. Findings presented here focus on the work of mothering emerging adult children and the themes include providing a listening ear, emotional and financial support, and worrying. The findings illuminate a beginning understanding of the work involved with mothering children at this stage and add to Ruddick's theories on maternal practice.