Wielodzietność po polsku – między nadzieją a poczuciem niemocy

Abstract

The article touches upon the issue of parenting multiple children in poverty stricken families. The empirical basis for the conclusions drawn comes from the interviews conducted in the first half of 2013 with mothers from multiple children households who use social care services. Having multiple children in present-day Poland while belonging to certain social categories often means single parenting, permanent financial difficulties, dependence on social services, frequent housing deficiencies and a full array of other problems – ranging from upbringing, housing and health difficulties to alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Basing on the collected empirical data, the authoress concludes that the interviewed mothers’ self-perception of their life situation is characterized by clearly expressed powerlessness – no sense of importance of one’s actions, conviction about randomness of some life events, belief in fate. On the other hand, they are full of hope as far as their children’s future is concerned. The article is an attempt to assess the relation between those two, seemingly contrasting, attitudes.