TITLE:
Navigating Dual Roles: Challenges and Strategies of Student Mothers in Higher Education
AUTHORS:
Hareem Fatima, Sajid Masood, Batool Ishaque, Irfa Ahmer Paul
KEYWORDS:
Student-Mother, Married-Mother, Single-Mother, Working-Mother, Challenges, Higher Education
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
19,
2025
ABSTRACT: The impetus for this study came from my history of being a student mother while completing my higher education, and the challenges which entailed during my studies. The study sought to discover the challenges student mothers face 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 thematic analysis analyzed the data collected. It was found that student mothers face challenges managing time, and financials, and giving less time to child care 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.