Being a good enough mother: an autoethnography on my experience of motherhood in the times of Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

In this thesis I embark on the explorations of my personal journey, I will pick up on Winnicott’s concept of the “good enough” mother and explore what this means during the pandemic. I examine those concepts through the use of autoethnography.

I outline the existing literature on the topic, highlighting some gaps in the current sources. Next, I talk about my epistemology, ontology, and methodological approach. I bring in the cultural aspects and gender related debates in relation to Polish society.

I then move on to my autoethnographic exploration of my own experiences. The goal of this thesis is to broaden understanding on the experience of motherhood during the global pandemic, looking through the lenses of the Winnicott’s concept of “good enough” mother. Such understanding is highly relevant to the field of psychotherapy. Through my own stories and reflections, I strive to understand and convey the complexities and demands of what it means to be a mother today, especially considering the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic. It is my hope to contribute my work to the therapeutic body of knowledge as well as offer new viewpoints and perspective on the issue of motherly feelings of deficiency, specifically during the time of the global pandemic.