Imagine the mother of a small toddler. All day long, she tries to do everything right - serving a balanced diet, watching developmental milestones and reading up on educational trends. Yet every day she asks herself the same question: "Am I doing this right?" This uncertainty is a natural part of motherhood, but in modern society, where perfection is expected of mothers, it can be especially intense.
A team of researchers consisting of Hana Návratová, Lenka Lacinová, Petra Pátková Daňsová, Radim Lacina, Radka Neužilová Michalčáková and Štěpán Kaňa decided to investigate how Czech mothers perceive insecurities when caring for their toddlers. The research set was part of the long-term DOMOV project, which aimed to investigate parenting and family relationships. The data came from semi-structured interviews with 90 mothers of toddlers aged 13-17 months who, among other information, shared with the researchers their experiences and concerns related to motherhood.
1. How will my parenting affect my child's future?
Many mothers wonder if they are setting the right boundaries. They worry that they will either be too benevolent or too strict, which could negatively affect their child's future. This type of uncertainty has a significant impact on the psychological well-being of mothers.
2. Am I providing for all my child's needs?
Mothers often worry about whether their child is eating enough and properly, whether he or she is dressed well for the weather, or when it is appropriate to seek medical attention when ill. Uncertainties about health care included decisions about vaccinations, for example.
3. How to respond to unexpected situations?
Uncertainty often arises when a child experiences a tantrum in public for the first time or when he or she is unable to calm down. Mothers do not know whether it is better to intervene or to give the child space.
Although this research was not intended to provide practical recommendations for mothers, it has shown what insecurities are common in motherhood. Uncertainties are part of every maternity experience and it is important to learn to work with them. Psychologists and experts advise mothers to strike a balance between caring for their child and themselves. The following principles, for example, can help:
Share experiences - talking to other mothers can help gain perspective, but it can also reinforce insecurities. Every mother's experience is different and there is no need to compare yourself to others.
Choose trusted sources - not all information available online is reliable, it's a good idea to check with multiple sources.
Find what works for you and your baby - every baby is different, and not all advice applies universally. It is important to observe your child's needs and look for the approach that works best for them.
Allow yourself not to be perfect - parenting is a learning process, small mistakes are normal.
You are not alone in this - insecurities are a normal part of the journey to motherhood.
Recommended Citation:
Návratová, H., Lacinová, L., Pátková Daňsová, P., Lacina, R., Neužilová Michalčáková, R., & Kaňa, Š. (2025).Czech mothers' experiences of parenting 13- to 17-month-old toddlers.Family Relations, 74(1), 234-252. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13101
doc. Mgr. Lenka Lacinová, Ph.D.
Team Early development, parenthood, & Attachment
lacinova@fss.muni.cz
Many of our publications follow the principles of Open Science. We want to ensure that our studies are reproducible by other teams and are free to read.
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Our members Anna Ševčíková and Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska attended the conference of The European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) in Vienna. The ESSM aims to promote sexual health and the highest standards of evidence-based clinical care in sexual medicine through education, research and health care formulation.
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