Beyond Good Versus Bad: Reconceptualizing Normative Motherhood

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Constructions of Motherhood

Abstract

Studies on parenting styles (e.g. Boehme, Goetz, & Preckel, 2017) seem to have a hyperfixation on mothers and how they are raising children. The assumption in U.S. expectations of complete responsibility and attention to mothering means that mothers are often shamed or blamed for “incorrectly” raising and educating their children. This paper highlights the limitations in mainstream motherhood and how certain actions or even people are discounted as acceptable mothers. I use Black feminist thought and examples of Black motherhood across existing literature to challenge normative mothering expectations and expand the possibilities for what it means to raise children. Ultimately, the new perspective allows for a broader conception of motherhood and connecting parents to children’s education in the school environment.

Author

• Sam Prough, University of Delaware