Yayas as Mothers from a Distance

Abstract

This study explored the experience of Filipina yayas as migrant mothers to care for their own children.  This focused on gaining a more in-depth understanding of their mothering strategies and their interaction with their children. The framework of this qualitative study was informed by hermeneutic phenomenology, focusing on the lived experience of participants in order to gain a deeper understanding of the coping strategies of yayas in the Philippines. The participants of this study included Filipina nannies currently working in Metro Manila whose origins were from rural areas in the province.  The sample size was three yayas who are in charge of taking care of a child or children in a household in Metro Manila.  Data collection involved conducting individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews.  Data analysis followed the four step IPA methodology developed by Smith et al. (2009), which is iterative in nature. The issues of the Filipina yayas can be described in terms of their emotional experiences, mothering behaviors and practices from a far, and adaptation to their current situation.  These broader issues created a portrait of the lived experience of the mothering from a distance of yayas working in the city. The implication for practice is that access to mental health assistance should be made available to migrant mothers such as yayas, particularly during their first few years away from their families.