The Opinions of University Graduate Working Mothers Who Have 36-60-Months-Old Children about the Quality of the Time Spent with Their Children: A Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of university graduate working mothers who have 36-60 months-old children of the quality of the time spent with their children. In the study, the phenomenology design was used among qualitative research techniques. The study group consisted of 32 mothers selected by using a maximum variation sampling method. The data of the study were collected using the semi-structured interview technique, and the data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis technique. The majority of the mothers who participated in the interview described the quality time spent between the mother and child as the time which is spent with activities that the mother and child enjoy equally. The majority of the mothers stated that they believe that it is necessary to spend quality time with their children since it affects mother-child communication positively, they want to participate in the training during which they can learn activities appropriate to different age ranges and different areas of development with their children, they play games with their children to spend quality time, and they believe that spending quality time contributes to mother-child communication. Half of the mothers stated that the process was turned into quality time by including the child in all responsibilities at home, while the other half stated that no quality time could be spent with the child while fulfilling the responsibilities at home. The mothers emphasized that the periods that can be spent in a quality way are weekends and annual leave periods and stated that the main factor which prevents spending the quality time is the intensity of working hours. It is thought that organizing practical training seminars that will enable mothers to learn how to make the time spent with their children more qualified will contribute to mothers.