Share your views on what it means to be a 'good mum'

Mother and baby

Is a ‘good mum’ someone who stays home and spends time with her kids, or does she go to work and contribute to her family’s financial future?

Does she have the most fashionable pram or cot, and do her children have all the trendy clothes and toys?

Dr Kate Huppatz, from the School of Social Sciences and Psychology at the University of Western Sydney, is researching the high expectations that are placed on mothers.

She says some people judge good mothering on whether children are fed homemade or organic food, while others look for a Bugaboo Missoni pram or a Sophie the Giraffe teething toy.

 “Whether a woman is judged to be a ‘good’ or a ‘bad’ mum is often based on a range of factors – from how much independence and discipline they give their children, to their own physical appearance in the playground,” says Dr Huppatz.

“With so many varied perceptions of what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, and with such high standards set by celebrity parents, parenthood can be a very difficult path to navigate.”

As part of the UWS study, mothers aged 18-65 are asked to come forward and share their views, and how they feel about the pressures to be a ‘good mum’.

Participants will be asked to take part in a one-on-one interview about their mothering experiences, family background, work and study. The interview will take between 20 minutes and 1 hour and will take place on the UWS Bankstown campus.

To participate in the study, contact Dr Huppatz on k.huppatz@uws.edu.au

This study has been approved by the University of Western Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (EC00314).

Ends

1 November 2012

Photo: Holly Abric

Contact: Danielle Roddick, Senior Media Officer