'Super mum' : the lived experience of single mothers at university

Abstract

Single parent families are growing in number and most of them are headed by women. This study aims to explore the perceived life experiences of single mothers presently taking care of their young child, whilst simultaneously continuing their studies at university. The purpose of this study is to identify themes which aid us in getting a better understanding of the impact of the participants' experiences and also elicit the coping strategies that the participants make use of. It is also the aim of this study to sensitize others to these mothers and also identify necessary resources in order to help alleviate the problems they come across, especially within the same university context. The information gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews facilitates the understanding of these mothers' experiences. A phenomenological approach is used. Results show that whilst the experience of being a single mother at university is tiring, not having enough time to do everything and difficult, it was also evident that the theme of dedication was most strong. Having a child out-of-wedlock has also given the women a label and therefore they feel judged by others and experience shame. Nevertheless, these women try to prove their worth by integrating studies with mothering, which leaves them feeling quite stressed owing to the constant juggling they need to do. Regardless of all the roles they need to satisfy, these women are coping.