TITLE:
Exploring Motivation and Life Course Transformations in Student-Mothers Pursuing Higher Education
AUTHORS:
Hareem Fatima, Sara Rehan Ansari, Irfa Ahmer Paul, Batool Ishaque
KEYWORDS:
Student-Mother, Married-Mother, Single-Mother, Working-Mother, Challenges, Higher Education
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
27,
2025
ABSTRACT: The impetus for this study came from my own history of being a student mother while completing my higher education, and the challenges which entailed during my studies. The study sought to find out the challenges faced by student mothers while attaining higher education. The study employed the qualitative research methodology, and phenomenology approach. Interviews were used as an instrument. A total number of 10 participants were involved in this study. The data collected was analysed by the thematic analysis. It was found that student mothers face challenges managing time, financials and no time for child care that is included while attaining higher education. As they have a responsibility for their child, home and studies along with work outside the house made them feel stressed and unmanageable. Student mothers involved in the study were: single mothers, married mothers and working mothers. The key themes from the study revealed that student mothers face challenges in managing time, financials and no time for child care. Balancing home and studies has become so challenging for them. All they need is support from family and especially their husband to complete their higher education. Lastly, student mother’s life has changed after having a child. They were not enjoying their university life like before. The only motivation which made them do that is the support from husband, to build a better future and to become financially stable. All of the student mothers were doing it for their child’s better future.