Journeys of Women Without Custody: From Ambivalence to Renewed Sense of Self (Expanded Edition)

Through the changing mores of American society, we have become tolerant of non-traditional families and flexible gender roles. When families experience the trauma of divorce, they have to adapt the best they can to altered economic and social circumstances. And while we smile indulgently at the concept of "Mr.Mom," the bumbling father who gamely throws himself into the difficult tasks of homemaking and nurturing children, we still harshly judge the mother who, for whatever reason, has relinquished or lost custody of her children. For many, that woman is a modern-day Medea; perceived to have sacrificed her children to satisfy her own selfish wants and needs. Non-custodial mothers and their image in society are the subject of this in-depth, compassionate study by Annette Mayo Pagano, Ph.D. Through a series of revealing interviews, Dr. Pagano examines the lives of nine women from all walks of life who redefine the role of mother in this non-traditional context.