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Motherhood for young children after parental breakup

Author(s): Jeanette Skoglund

Thursday 15  |   11:20-11:40

Room: TP45

Session: Parenting in the Nordic countries

Parenthood has been a well-established topic in Nordic sociology for some time. While researchers the last decades have studied for instance, changes in fatherhood, father and child relations, parents with immigrant background asf., motherhood – as a topic of its own – has not gained the same interest. Our paper (in progress) is based on our qualitative study of parents, mothers and fathers, of young children (0-6 years old) who have separated and their experiences with family mediation and parental cooperation. Traditionally, the care of toddlers has been an area for women and mothers. Through pregnancy and breastfeeding, biological motherhood has given mothers a special position (særstatus) in most societies. While this still holds true, ideology of gender equality and shared parenting has become the dominant ideology, also after parents brake up. In our paper we explore how motherhood is understood among mothers and fathers of young children (0-6 years) after parental break up. How do they navigate between traditional perceptions and practices and new expectations of equal parenthood?