This article challenges the assumptions in social policy and practice of how the combination of youth and motherhood is problematic and morally wrong. Using an intersectional approach, this study uncovers how young mothers’ social categories of youth and motherhood collide, concur with, or reinforce each other. The research question is the following: What are young mothers’ perceptions and practices of youth when combining youth with motherhood? The research methods include 18 months of participant observation and 41 semi-structured interviews with young mothers in the Netherlands. Analysis shows that young motherhood should not be conflated with problematic motherhood. Young mothers position themselves as “new” parents, single mothers, and working parents. Their motherhood practices illustrate adherence to an ideology of child-centered, omnipresent, and responsible motherhood. They might not be good girls, but they show they are good mothers. Young mothers navigate intersecting dimensions of youth, age, motherhood, and gender through (1) discontinuing youth practices, (2) alternating between motherhood and youthfulness, (3) transforming youth practices into young motherhood practices, and (4) reinforcing youth through young motherhood. Professionals can use the strengths of these practices more to the advantage of the youth to provide support that is tailored to clients’ needs.

中文翻译：

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演他们的时代？年轻母亲视角下年轻母性的交叉研究

本文挑战了社会政策和实践中关于青年与母亲的结合如何存在问题和道德错误的假设。本研究采用交叉方法，揭示了年轻母亲的青年和母亲的社会类别如何相互冲突、一致或相互加强。研究问题如下：当年轻与母性相结合时，年轻母亲对青春的看法和做法是什么？研究方法包括 18 个月的参与观察和 41 次对荷兰年轻母亲的半结构化访谈。分析表明，年轻的母亲不应该与有问题的母亲混为一谈。年轻的母亲将自己定位为“新”父母、单身母亲和工作父母。他们的母性实践表明他们坚持以儿童为中心的意识形态，无所不在，负责任的母性。她们可能不是好女孩，但她们表明她们是好妈妈。年轻的母亲通过 (1) 停止青年实践，(2) 在母性和年轻之间交替，(3) 将青年实践转变为年轻的母性实践，以及 (4) 通过年轻化加强青年母性。专业人士可以更多地利用这些实践的优势来为青年人提供支持，以提供适合客户需求的支持。(3) 将青年实践转变为年轻母性实践，以及 (4) 通过年轻母性加强青年。专业人士可以更多地利用这些实践的优势来为青年人提供支持，以提供适合客户需求的支持。(3) 将青年实践转变为年轻母性实践，以及 (4) 通过年轻母性加强青年。专业人士可以更多地利用这些实践的优势来为青年人提供支持，以提供适合客户需求的支持。