Mothering from a Distance

The Lived Experiences of Filipina Transnational Mothers in Singapore

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21638643
AutoresJeffrey R Ballaret (0000-0003-4706-4493, West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, Philippines, autor de correspondencia), Jonel P Lanada (0000-0001-5085-0220, West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, Philippines)
Año2022
Volumen30
Número4
Páginas507-513
Fecha de publicación2022-10-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaThe Family Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1066-4807 • E-ISSN: 1552-3950
EditorialSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10664807211061833
OpenAlexW3215344148
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas11
Referencias citadas3

Transnational motherhood continues to grow among Filipina mothers. It resulted in economic prosperity and quality of life of Filipino families but caused family pressures within the sphere of motherhood. This qualitative study is grounded through the philosophical lens of phenomenology aimed to explore the lived experiences of transnational mothers. It seeks to understand their life history, present experiences that redefined their motherhood, and reflections of the future. The lived experiences of transnational mothers began with the experience of the personal and structural dimensions of poverty in the past. Their decision to embark on labor migration was primarily instrumental to alleviate their life condition. However, mothering from a distance has ensued emotional, social, and psychological strains. To cope with the situation, they observed four central coping ways: the role of faith and prayer; the repression of emotional strains through work and friends; focus and positive thinking; and the rationalization of distance by way of regular virtual communication and remittances. The hopes of transnational mothers revealed their yearning for family reunification predicated on improving their family life through financial security, savings, and children's education. This intersection between motherhood and labor migration has therefore created new family forms, structures, roles, meaning, and expectations

Closeness · Economic growth · Faith · Family life · Lived experience · Poverty · Prosperity · Sociology · Diaspora, migration, transnational identity · Gender Studies · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Socioeconomic Development in Asia