Exploring the Day-to-Day Life of Mothers Dealing With Preschool Children Who Have Behavioral Disorders

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore the day-to-day life of mothers dealing with preschool children who have behavioral disorders and to explore the mothers' experiences with their children's health care. Method: A qualitative design was used to explore mothers' experiences in their day-to-day lives. A purposive sample of eight mothers was interviewed in their homes. A recorded face-to-face format was used that included open-ended, semi-structured questions. Results: Two major themes emerged from the day-to-day experiences of these mothers: "abandoning my other child" and "parenting in unsupportive environments." Discussion: The theme of "parenting in unsupportive environments" reflects the frustrations the mothers felt in their day-to-day lives while trying to find help for their children. The theme of "abandoning my other child" refers to the siblings of the children with behavioral disorders being overlooked by the mothers because so much of the mothers' attention and time was given to the child with the behavioral disorder. J Pediatr Health Care. (2013) 27, 23-32.