Abstract
Studying mothers often focuses on the mother-child dynamic rather than the mother as a person. Mother types, such as working mothers, often are singled out for study. One mother that is rarely considered is the homeschool mother. In homeschooling, the mother typically takes the active role in educating the children, and she receives little attention as a person (Lois, 2016). This study examines how these mother/teachers navigate their motherhood. Nine online discussions with 26 homeschooling mothers revealed strong connections to self-efficacy and agency. Agency and self-efficacy contributed to the mother’s ability to navigate and manage the tension between her needs and those of her family (Bandura 1977, 2006). This study suggests that other homeschool mothers and past experiences played roles in establishing self-efficacy, leading to their self-efficacy expectations. Though previous literature suggests that homeschooling mothers connect strongly to the concept of good mother, the mothers in this study rejected many of the principles Hays (1996) suggests a good mother exhibits.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Communication
Volume
58
Issue
1
First Page
107
Last Page
127
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Reynolds, Gina S.
(2026)
""That's Just Not Who I Am": Rejection of the Good Mother Ideology and Other Tools Used by Homeschool Moms to Navigate Motherhood,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 58:
No.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol58/iss1/8
Copyright
©2026 Iowa Communication Association
