Ways of Understanding Parenthood by Parents of Primary School Students. From Transition Ritual to Isonomy Traps

Abstract

Parenthood is a natural stage in men and women’s life – a consequence of procreative role. This stage begins together with child’s birth and it requires undertaking appropriate roles and fulfilling care and educational tasks stemming from these roles. Parenthood indicates level of parents’ interest and engagement into upbringing, caring and educating their children. Contemporary parenthood is based on equality between men and women and it is challenging for many of them. On the one hand, it is connected to necessity of undertaking new tasks and bearing new roles, on the other hand to focusing on individual needs and self-development. Qualitative studies, referring to these grounds, were aimed at the cognition of ways of understanding parenthood by parents surveyed. Studies were carried through open interviews. The evidence collected was categorised, which allowed for extracting the following ways of understanding parenthood: parenthood as a moment of transition, parenthood as a personal responsibility for a child and parenthood in isonomy trap.