Compassionately Mothering: Lived Experience of Female Heads of Households from Mothering

The present study aims to understand the lived experience of female heads of households from mothering. The current research followed a qualitative approach and phenomenological method. Fifteen mothers who were heads of households in Marand city and supported by welfare organizations were selected through the purposive sampling method, with whom deep and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The lived experience of female heads of households from mothering were classified under the five main themes of "worried mothering", "maternal sacrifice", "identity while playing multiple and conflicting roles", "double financial pressure", and "abnormal adaptation". Thirteen sub-themes were also found, namely "feeling worried about the child's future","intolerance of the child's discomfort", "expressing regret for becoming a mother", "dedication and self-sacrifice", "tolerating hardship for being with a child", "reluctance to remarry because of the child", "the role of fathering, head of household,  and mothering", "inability to meet needs", "child abuse and punishment", "stigma and sexual greed", "exclusion of family and acquaintances", and "hiding identity". The maternal experience of female heads of households is associated with many challenges in their personal, family, and social lives. After accepting the role of the heads of the household, they perform the duties of mothering and fathering together, which are beyond the duties of a mother alone. They experience special difficulties due to economic, social, and cultural pressures and multiplicity of duties. Adopting appropriate measures and policies in the economic, socio-cultural, and psychological fields is essential for policymakers and support institutions to empower mother heads of households so that they can fulfill their role as mothers with fewer worries.