The attitude towards work and motherhood in the perception of mothers in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Mothers are resilient women juggling multiple responsibilities in a household. Being a working mother complicates the role of a woman in numerous aspects and this study explores motherhood and work life in the perception of the mothers. The objective of the research is to identify the mothers' attitudes toward their motherhood and work and the impact of employment status on the same. A questionnaire with demographic questions and 5-point Likert scale questions was used for primary data collection and was distributed using social media. The survey collected data from 202 working and non-working mothers around Sri Lanka on the attitudes and beliefs on work, motherhood, balancing the roles, and the problems surrounding childcare. The results indicated that negative experiences of motherhood, work commitment, and childcare beliefs changed with the employment status of the mothers. Nevertheless, the mothers had uniform beliefs regarding the importance of motherhood and a woman’s ability to work throughout their life. These findings are in parallel with the global trend of mothers leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers after children to avoid childcare burdens and other problems. Shared childcare responsibilities, flexible working arrangements, and preventing discrimination against working mothers can be recommended as steps to manage the above situation which is commonly observed around the world.