00000ctm a22000003a 4500 UP-1685523046125469130 Buklod 20080721104351.0 m || | | cr ||||||||||| 080721s xx d r |||| u| (iLib)UPMNL-00003975513 UPM-NURSING eng LG 996 2008 P54 A56 Anonuevo, Cora A. Filipino mothering across social classes women as mothers and paid workers Cora A. Anonuevo. xxi, 384 p. 28 cm. Thesis ( Doctor of Philosophy in Philippine Studies) (University of the Philippines Diliman) This study examined the mothering notions and experiences of urban working Filipino married/partnered women across the AB, C and D social classes. It sought to understand how mothering is affected by a mother's entry into the world of paid work while coming to terms with the dynamics of gender relations in the workplace and in the home... This study examined the mothering notions and experiences of urban working Filipino mothers/partnered women across the AB, C and D social classes. It sought to understand how mothering is affected by a mother?s entry into the world of paid work while coming to terms with the dynamics of gender relations in the workplace and in the home. It focused on women's current notions and practices of mothering, and the values and expectations; the mothers? own identities as women; and finally, how women negotiate their traditional mothering roles given the competing societal demands and expectations. Socialist feminism and structuration theory guided the research project. The socialist feminist approach locates mothering in the structures of class and gender while structuration theory posits mothering as a source of empowerment. Mothering in this study is defined as the personal, individual experience of women in caring for their children and their families. Motherhood is the identity and status acquired by virtue of being female; it is rooted in the biological role that women carry out in society, and from which social expectations are established. Traditional notions and experiences on mothering and motherhood are based on the gender division of labor and the gender-role differentiation. Social class mediates the mothering experience. The type and source of social support received by working mothers also influence how they are able to harmonize between mothering and paid work. Study participants were mothers with children under 7 years of age. They were selected using purposeful sampling. Data gathering involved 73 mothers for the pre-focus survey, 32 for the focus group discussions and 7 for the individual mother interview. The triangulation method of data collection enabled the researcher to observe the ideas, feelings, and desires mothers held about themselves as they discussed and shared their mothering experiences. The study revealed that mothers work for several reasons, Most D class mothers work to supplement their husbands' insufficient income; C class and AB class mothers work basically for personal happiness and financial security. Mothers from all social classes claimed that having paid work gives them financial freedom and self-worth. Particularly, mothers from the D class disclosed that their own earnings have had positive effect in increasing resources for their children?s needs. Gender relations are played out in the day-to-day mothering experience of working women. Asymmetries of power are embedded in the gender relations as manifested in the family and in the work. Mothers in the study explored issues such as the sharing of domestic responsibilities, the mothers? role expectations from a spouse, managing household finances, conflicts in the home and in the workplace, and notions of giving and showing of care, love and concern. The results showed that social class indeed is a major determinant in how women deal with various pressures. For D mothers, day-to-day survival may well be a primary concern, and they have to rely on themselves or their relatives to perform the routine household tasks. All working mothers from the AB class and several from the C class, can afford to pay for the support services that they need. Across social classes, however, mothers, whether home-based workers, entrepreneurs or full-time employees, have demonstrated that they are agents of their lives. Though not yet fully empowered, these women are open to possibilities of working toward positive change to benefit themselves and their families. They admit that they have been raised with traditional notions of male and female roles, but they are also redefining the ways in which they engage in household chores, child care, and other important activities inside and outside the home. Foremost, they have been able to seek out the power to determine for themselves the value of their mothering experiences. While mothers were aware of their capabilities and opportunities, they need stronger forms of institutional or social support. This study also hopes to provide relevant insights that can strengthen policy implementation and reform. Existing Philippine laws can foster a balance between mothering and paid work, and resources such as the gender budget should be appropriately utilized. Any reform effort should ensure the involvement of women, that their voices are heard and their needs are addressed. New work structures, in the form of reduced work hours, will allow mothers and fathers to lessen their work obligations even temporarily during the childrearing years without being disadvantaged in terms of job security and career mobility. Restructuring family roles requires fathers to do more than just "help out." Encouraging partnership between mothers and fathers in the caregiving roles begins by recognizing that mothering is valuable to our families and society as a whole. By embracing the Filipino mothers? own perspective, the study intends to enrich scholarship on mothering and motherhood, and feminist theorizing. Future research may focus on how work and family roles are being restructured for both women and men. Spouses' partnership in caregiving roles is a noteworthy area of study, and recognizes the value of mothering to society. Mothering need not be viewed as solely a female task; males and even communities fulfill this same role in various ways. Beyond the traditional nuclear family, studies may look into the dynamics of female-headed households, and families that are composed of same-sex couples, single mothers or fathers, adoptive parents, and absentee parents. It would be very useful to investigate how mothering and motherhood are shaped and negotiated in these contexts. Further research may also underscore the experience of underprivileged class E women as mothers. Similarly, it would be interesting to reveal concepts of fatherhood and male notions and meanings of being a father, as well as the significant changes in the division of labor in recent years. Perhaps scholars may quantify the amount of domestic chores shared by men and women and thus reveal data that can be used to enhance existing laws and policies. Working mothers. Motherhood. Mothers. Women. UPMNL NURS LG 996 2008 P54 A56 Thesis