2018 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 65-74
Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the subjective awareness of mothers raising pre-school children regarding their own upbringing experiences, with a focus on attachment experiences during the mothers’ childhoods.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 mothers raising pre-school children, and data were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively.
Results: Subjective awareness of each mother regarding her own upbringing experiences fell into two main categories: “Sense of security in being watched over and accepted” and “Dissatisfaction from one’s expectations not being met”．The first category included “The attention of parents who did things to please their child”，“Affirmation of encouragement through praise”，“Experiences of being raised with a sense of security from parents”，“Trust from being watched over and receiving help in difficulties”，and “Parents with a positive attitude toward childrearing”．The second category included “Resignation that one’s uncomfortable feelings were not noticed”，“Feeling that one was always being scolded”，“Failure of the parents to match their child’s pace”，“Sense of unfairness from attitudes towards siblings”．
Discussion: Mothers have recognized that they have related to forming attachment and parenting experiences on both sides of satisfaction and feeling of being unfulfilled. Recognizing the feeling of satisfaction with their parenting experience encourages mothers in their positive involvement and love affirmation. Regarding parental support, it can be expected that positive personal upbringing experiences as well as attachment experiences would improve self-affirmation in mothers’ practice of rearing their own children.
