Traditional echoes, contemporary shifts: Chinese college students' views of the “good mother”

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this research was to investigate contemporary Chinese college students' perceptions of the “good mother.”BackgroundIncreased lifestyle and self‐fulfillment choices have recently become available for college‐age students in China. However, there is government, societal, and family pressure for women to be married, ideally by 25 years of age, and to bear children as a patriotic and socially stabilizing duty.MethodA qualitative study using thematic analysis to code data from semistructured interviews with 20 male and female college students.ResultsFive attributes of a good mother were identified: “is a guide,” “is loving,” “communicates with her child as with a friend,” “is not overcontrolling,” and “balances paid work and time with her child.”ConclusionThis study contributes to ongoing research across cultures and societies, which aims to understand what young adults believe to be a “good mother” and how this may affect their future parenting practices. Within the Chinese context, perceptions of a “good mother” include traditional echoes—for example, mother as primary caregiver—mixed with contemporary ideas—for example, pursuing the right to seek personal fulfillment and financial autonomy and a move away from a top‐down authoritarian style of parenting. Gendered perceptions of physical punishment, childrearing anxiety, and parental sacrifice were identified.ImplicationsFuture policymakers should provide greater social and workplace options and implement support services to alleviate the anxiety women experience in their dual aspirations to succeed in paid work and to be good mothers. Educating men regarding their contribution to caregiving and the fostering of family harmony should also be prioritized.