Wonderful, Terrible mother!
The advent of puberty makes emotions roar both for the youth and the parent. Sometimes the mother considers herself to be terrible, sometimes the teen thinks her mother is absolutely horrible. Terrible Mothers (Kamalat äidit®) project provides peer support and the sharing of experiences for mothers of adolescent children. Terrible Mothers peer groups are coordinated by YWCA of Finland.
Peer support for mothers
Terrible Moms project (Kamalat äidit®) is an initiative offering peer support for mothers whose children are going through puberty. The main focus is on mother support groups that are about dealing with themes related to parenthood and the life of women, giving information about puberty, and encouraging mothers to share their thoughts with other women. Peer support and discussions can bring about empowerment and new mental resources to everyday life.
Terrible Mothers operates nationwide. It is coordinated by YWCA of Finland and funded by Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA).
Terrible Mothers was developed by the Oulu local association of YWCA of Finland and it is a registered trademark. Support group operations have been successfully running since 2005.
Terrible Mothers is implemented by setting up support groups around the country. The groups are established together with volunteers and various partners. The peer counselors receive training and they can attend nationwide meetings organized regularly. There are also further training opportunities available for them. In addition, they have the Terrible Mothers counselor’s guidebook and other material to help them run the groups.