Abstract

This ethnographic case-study explores the daily experiences in child-rearing and education among Korean full-time housewives. For this purpose, 11 full-time housewives in their thirties and forties from the middle class were interviewed with an unstructured questionnaire. The findings are as follows: Full-time housewives tend to assume the full responsibility for child-caring and education. Their time is structured around the schedules of caring children and participating in educational programs for children. The most demanding tasks for them include preparing for a preschool, getting the children ready for school, rendering supports for children's schools, extra curricular education, and arranging and offering gift money to teachers. They feel that their husbands do not provide enough supports for child-caring and education. Despite all the negative experiences, Korean full-time housewives put in whatever they have to make sure their children's well-being and to provide the best education possible for their children; the maternal identity plays a role of the utmost importance in them.

Keywords

• parental beliefs;
• internal representation;
• rational authoritative beliefs;
• distancing beliefs;
• direct authoritative beliefs

• 전업주부;
• 자녀교육;
• 학교교육보조;
• 사교육;
• 촌지;