Maternal Views on Autonomy

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Abstract
Maternal views on the separateness and independence of their children were investigated in the present study. Sixty Japanese and 60 Israeli mothers of kindergarten children were interviewed about their children's obedience/disobedience and capacity to manage on their own. The findings indicate that for the Japanese mothers, the capacity of the child to manage on his/her own, is expressed in his/her moving from exclusive ties with mother towards interacting with other children, while Israeli mothers emphasize the child's instrumental independence in taking care of him- or herself, performing tasks (e.g., answering the phone, setting the table) and being able to occupy him- or herself constructively when his or her mother is not present. Japanese mothers also report behaviors which can be labeled as instrumental independence, but present them as examples of obedience. Israeli mothers describe the child's instrumental independence as internal, often putting the mother in a conflict situation (i.e., wanting the child to be independent but not at an inappropriate time or in unsuitable endeavors). Japanese mothers did not mention this type of dilemma.

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