Intensive mothering—Different repertoires, same goal

Intensive parenting has become the dominant standard in economically advanced countries and has recently spread across various socioeconomic and ethnic groups. However, more knowledge is needed to understand its variations and how sociocultural conditions in different countries facilitate these variations. This article examines the various forms of intensive mothering in Czechia. Drawing on a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysing semi-structured interviews with mothers in Czechia, we argue that intensive mothering encompasses different, sometimes contradictory, mothering styles. We identified four distinct repertoires of intensive mothering: contact mothering, high-performance mothering, wild mothering, and protective mothering. These repertoires differ in their emphasis on the transmission and development of different types of capital (health, emotional, educational) or safety. All of these repertoires align with the characteristics of intensive parenting: they are child-centred, emotionally absorbing, labour-intensive, financially costly, expert-guided, supported by the expansion of paid goods and services for children, and contribute to safeguarding social status and reproducing inequalities. Using the Czech example, this article contributes to the debate on how intensive mothering can vary and is shaped by a country's socio-cultural context.