THE GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER PODCAST



73. How understanding the sociology of motherhood helped me step into my power as a single mother with Sophie Brock

How understanding the sociology of motherhood helped me step into my power as a single mother


June 13, 2022

THE PERFECT MOTHER MYTH; THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF MOTHERHOOD; THE INSTITUTION OF MOTHERHOOD; THE SOCIOLOGY OF MOTHERHOOD; EMPOWERED MOTHERING; LIBERATED MOTHERHOOD

In this episode, I shared 5 different ways that my understanding of the social construction of motherhood helped me to step into my power as a single mother.



I wanted to share this episode as a lived-reality example of how theory, concepts, and understandings can come to unveil new possibilities for how we lead and live our lives as mothers. I talk about the nuclear family and how it is held up as an 'ideal' in our society, the pulling down of facades, how the 'family' is socially constructed and our capacity to create fluidity in what the 'family' means, and the opportunity in unpacking social scripts that we inherit about what it means to be a mother.

What is the perfect mother myth?

Selfless, sacrificial, organized, structured, heterosexual, monogamous, white, middle class, able-bodied, endlessly playful with her children with planned activities, productive, ‘maternal’, creative, is ‘beautiful’ according to a white/capitalist/ageist ideal of what beauty means, she is a great cook, dedicated to mothering 24/7, productive. What else??

The perfect mother is

‘It all’. Framed as a perfect career,marriage/relationship, 2.5 children of both sexes, ‘well-behaved’ and compliant children, money, the ‘bounced back’ body, screen-free households, a perfect, clean/tidy/organized home. What else??

The perfect mother has

the perfect mother always feels

Endless happiness, like she’s cherishing every minute, maternal bliss, grateful, patient, loving,fulfilled, satisfied, content, composed, balanced, present, energized, giving. What else??

the perfect mother never feels

Apathy, frustration, impatience, anger, envy, regret, resentment, boredom, longing for life pre-motherhood, loneliness. What else??

Listen up.

In the episode I mention the Council for Single Mothers and their Children - www.csmc.org.au/

The ‘Fish Tank’ of Motherhood Model™

A model offering a one-of-a-kind sociological approach for understanding Motherhood

want to learn how to integrate this model into your work with mothers?

The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification is an online course taking you on a learning journey of maternal research, theory, and concepts for those who work with Mothers, or aspire to.

Professor Andrea O’Reilly’s 8 ‘rules’ of good motherhood (Mother Outlaws)

1.     Children can only be properly cared for by the bio mother

2.     This mothering must be provided 24/7

3.     The mother must always put her children’s needs before her own

4.     Mothers must turn to the experts for instruction

5.     The mother must be fully satisfied, fulfilled, completed and composed in motherhood

6.     The mother must lavish excessive amounts of time energy and money on the rearing of their children

7.     The mother has full responsibility but no power from which to mother

8.     Motherhood and childrearing are regarded as personal and private undertakings with no political import

Listen on SoundCloud.