Newswise — As Mother's Day approaches we are reminded that in addition to the hugs and cookies and maternal superpowers that we traditionally attribute to mom, the responsibility of motherhood often means putting the well-being of offspring ahead of one's own desires and comfort. But what if mom's willingness to do anything for the family means essentially writing herself right out of it? One Ryerson University researcher has found that in the case of transnational families—families whose primary caregiver lives in a different country than her children—that's exactly what is happening.
As a Professor and Graduate Program Director of Ryerson's Early Childhood Education (ECE), Dr. Judith Bernhard's research focuses on issues related to inclusion and diversity, and how her field responds to them. Her latest study, Transnationalizing Families: Canadian Immigration Policy and the Spatial Fragmentation of Care-giving Among Latin American Newcomers, focuses on Latin American women who have come to Canada in search of better futures for their children, even though it means leaving them behind in their home country. These women are often separated from their children for long periods of time in the hopes of a reunion as residents in Canada. The paper also examines the link between Canadian immigration policy and the development and perpetuation of these transnational families.
Along with Patricia Landolt of the University of Toronto and Luin Goldring of York University, Dr. Bernhard conducted in-depth interviews with Latin American families living in Toronto, speaking to mothers who had experienced lengthy and largely unforeseen periods of parent-child separation after arriving in Canada. The women found themselves ill-equipped mentally and economically to withstand the immense strain of separation, which generally lasted between seven months and five years.
"After September 11, and now with the economic downturn, immigration policies have become more protectionist. Canada is narrowing its borders for secure permanent residence and increasingly relying on temporary labour arrangements to meet the needs of particular industries," said Dr. Bernhard. "That means that it is more difficult for mothers to bring their children to Canada and spatial ruptures can be prolonged, if not become permanent. What's more, we have learned that the emotional toll of the separation arrangements often has a lasting negative influence on family relations."
Since children are often placed with other family members, the maternal authority of migrant women is at risk of irrevocable damage. The mothers must work hard to preserve the legitimacy of their maternal role, keeping the lines of communication open with overseas relatives using e-mails, chat sessions, videos and photographs. Even when a reunion happens, problems persist. Kids often misbehave as a way of showing their anger and sadness about the separation. Some children may also experience strong feelings of resentment and abandonment. "For the brave women who take on this task of seeking a better future for their children though emigration, there is a great deal of shame and guilt involved in leaving their children behind, so they are reluctant to ask for help," said Dr. Bernhard, who hopes her study will spur policy-makers to streamline the reunification process and make it faster and more affordable for immigrant women.
The study presents three recommendations: First, Canadian social service providers require more training to meet the unique needs of transnational families. Second, subsidies and support programs are needed to help mothers and children prepare for life post-reunification. And third, initiatives must be developed in the home country to help non-migrant caregivers explain the separation process to children.
"Canada has signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which addresses family separation and reunification. Now it's time to honour that agreement," she concluded.
Transnationalizing Families: Canadian Immigration Policy and the Spatial Fragmentation of Care-giving Among Latin American Newcomers will be published in the upcoming issue of International Migration. Funding for the study was provided through a larger project supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
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