The biological parents of a child ought to engage themselves in the parenting role right from the day the mother conceives. However, that opinion remains a myth in most families. In reality, the mother does both the prenatal care and postnatal care role in most cases. Culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media are progressively affecting the motherhood and parenting role. From the cultural view of things, the mother ought to take the parenting role, especially at the toddler’s stage1. However, social constructions and social forces from the media take an important position in influencing the parenting role in the current world. The above-mentioned thoughts bring many controversies to people’s minds. This research will seek solutions to various unanswered questions in people’s minds. Therefore, a stringent approach is necessary for the research to be successful.
The general approach to the research topic
Literature review
Parenting has different styles depending on the social classes. Elite people perceive children as a symbol that increases happiness within the family, whereas, suffering families view children as additional mouths to feed. In ancient times, women were homemakers, and they would take care of children as men went out to work. In the modern world, the economy is very tight, such that both parents have to work to make ends meet. The culture of motherhood and parenting is slowly taking a different route as the traditional cultures are becoming extinct2. Contemporary society is reshaping everything related to parenthood. The media, for example, plays a great role in advising women on when they should become mothers. The media will publicize the links between parenthood, gender identity, social reproduction, and parenting in the modern era. The exposures have affected the way people think about motherhood and parenthood. Nowadays, mothers are advised to seek equality in every aspect of life, where, such kinds of advice affect their emotions, which in turn affect the motherhood and parenthood role.
Justification of the research problem
As evident from previous researches, the parenting role burdens the mothers more than the fathers. The reason why most fathers have abandoned the parenting role still brings in controversies. Although some couples share the parenting role equally, the mothers often do the emotional role in upbringing the child3. It is not very clear who is to blame; however, culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media could be great influencers on the motherhood and parenting role. Therefore, this research will play a critical role in bringing a clear understanding of the topic of discussion that has brought controversies for a long time.
Research questions
This research paper will seek to answer three main questions as listed below:
- What does culture have to do with motherhood and parenting?
- How does social reproduction influence motherhood and parenting?
- What is the relationship between emotions and the media on one side, and motherhood and parenting on the other side?
Research objectives
The specific objectives of the research areas listed below:
- To examine the relationship between culture, motherhood, and parenting;
- To give a stringent analysis of social reproduction and how it affects the motherhood and parenting role;
- To access emotions and the media and how they influence the motherhood and parenting role.
Research methodology
The whole research is comprehensive and it will require a detailed design of obtaining the relevant data. Saunders guidelines will be employed to attain the set objectives of the study. The objectivist research will employ a positivistic approach to study human behavior while undertaking the parenting role. The dependent variable is the motherhood and parenting role, whereas, culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media will form the independent variables.
- Research design: The proposed study design is quantitative because numerical and statistical analyses are necessary for analyzing the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Moreover, quantitative research will help in obtaining first-hand information about the research questions and objectives. The respondents in the study will comprise parents selected randomly from the study region.
- Data collection methods: This research will need both primary and secondary data. Interrogative interviews with the selected respondents and duly filled questionnaires by the respondents will provide primary data. Peer-reviewed journals and published books on the topic will provide the necessary secondary data.
- Research procedure: The researcher will retrieve information about the motivating factor or the factors that influence the respondents’ behavior in their parenting role. While there could be many other factors, the research will strictly retrieve information regarding the culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media as they influence the motherhood and parenting role.
- Data analysis: The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) will be used in the data analysis exercise. Correlation analysis and regression models will determine if the independent variables do affect the motherhood and parenting role.
Expected result outcomes
There is a very high possibility of obtaining a very strong relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Probably, culture, social reproduction, emotions, and the media affect motherhood and parenting in one way or another.
Bibliography
Hollway, W, Mothering and Ambivalence, London, Routledge, 2000.
Howe, T, Marriages and Families in the 21st Century, Maiden, MA, Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
Snitow, A, ‘Feminism and Motherhood: An American Reading’, Feminist Review. vol. 5, no. 40, 2001, pp. 32-51.
Footnotes
- A Snitow, ‘Feminism and Motherhood: An American Reading’, Feminist Review. vol. 5, no. 40, 2001, pp. 32.
- W Hollway, Mothering and Ambivalence, London: Routledge, 2000, p. 48.
- T Howe, Marriages and Families in the 21st Century, Maiden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012, p. 77.