Department of Child and Family Studies, Yonsei University
Corresponding Author:
In Jee Kim ,Tel: +82-2123-7585, Email: injee@yonsei.ac.kr
Received: November 30, 2009; Revised: December 7, 2009 Accepted: March 16, 2010.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore the intergenerational ambivalence of mothers with preschoolers. Twenty full-time mothers and 19 working mothers were interviewed in depth. Most of the participants who received instrumental support from their mothers showed ambivalence, and especially the working mothers were more likely to feel ambivalence than the full-time mothers. However, participants who received little or no support from their mothers did not report any ambivalent feelings. Their ambivalent feelings came from both their social structure and intrapersonal contradictions. In order to avoid ambivalent feelings, some participants redefined receiving support from their mothers as a positive thing. Meanwhile, the participants who received active support tried to divert their ambivalence by providing child care support for their children, and they showed a 'repayment provision' tendency. Some working mothers and most of the full-time mothers said they would allot 'limited provision' by excluding child care support for their children. Those who were aware of this ambivalence issue sought 'reasonable provision' for their children. Depending on these results, several suggestions are presented to solve the ambivalence.
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