Voices of Mothers: Emotional Journey in Raising Children with Neuro-Developmental Disorders

Abstract

Motherhood is an inherently complex journey shaped by emotional bonds, sacrifice, and resilience; however, raising a child with neuro-developmental disorders intensifies this journey through persistent physical, emotional, relational, and contextual challenges. This study explored the lived experiences of mothers caring for children with neuro-developmental disorders in Dipolog City, Philippines, focusing on how they make sense of caregiving through their bodies, environments, relationships, time, and material realities. Guided by the qualitative transcendental phenomenology of Moustakas, seven mothers who served as primary caregivers of children aged 2 to 5 years with medically diagnosed neuro-developmental conditions were purposively selected. Data were gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Moustakas’ phenomenological approach. Five interconnected themes emerged: (1) caregiving as continuous bodily exhaustion marked by chronic fatigue and disrupted sleep; (2) caregiving environments as shifting spaces of safety and strain where home, healthcare settings and community simultaneously shaped support and stress; (3) caregiving as a temporal journey in which pain and uncertainty gradually coexisted with acceptance, perseverance, love and hope; (4) objects, routines, and therapeutic tools as meaningful sources of comfort, regulation and emotional support for the child; and (5) motherhood as a sacred responsibility characterized by purposeful sacrifice, lifelong commitment, identity and faith. The findings reveal caregiving as a deeply embodied, spatial, temporal, relational and meaning-laden experience that profoundly transforms mothers’ sense of self and everyday life. These insights emphasize the need for culturally responsive healthcare, strengthened community support systems, and policies that recognize mothers as central bearers of lifelong caregiving responsibility.