본 연구는 12개월 미만 첫 자녀를 둔 어머니의 양육 경험을 알아보는데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 첫 자녀가 12개월 미만인 어머니 1인을 연구참여자로 하여 참여관찰, 면담, 연구자의 반성적 저널, 연구참여자의 육아일기 등을 통해 질적 연구를 수행하였다. 연구 결과, 연구자는 12개월 미만의 첫 자녀를 둔 어머니의 양육 경험을 크게 세가지로 범주화하였으며, 첫째,「새 생명과 함께 하는 첫 걸음」은「자녀의 성장이 주는 경이로움」,「최고의 것을 주는 행복」,「우리 가정에 찾아온 보물」로 범주화하였다. 둘째,「힘겹지만 함께 걸어갈 길」은「아가, 너는 나의 전부」,「때로는 힘겨운 시간들」,「나란히 함께 걷고픈 사람」,「이제는 긴 담을 허물 시간」으로 범주화하였고, 셋째,「모두의 행복을 위한 새로운 걸음」은「미래를 위한 또 다른 시작」,「일 선택의 조건」,「마음 단단히 먹기」로 범주화하였다.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the parenting experience of the mothers with the first child younger than 12 months old. The participant of this study was one mother with the first child was younger than 12 months old. The participant observations and interview transcription, researcher's reflective journal and researcher's parenting diary were collected, and the data analysis were composed of the stages of the transcription and confirmation of the contents of participant observations.
The findings of this study was as follows. First, ‘the first step with a new life’ was categorized into ‘the wonder given by the child's growth’, ‘the happiness that gives the best thing’ and ‘the treasure that came to our home’. Second, ‘the way to walk together though it is tough’ was categorized into ‘My baby, you are my everything’, ‘Times that are tough sometimes.’, ‘the person with whom I want to walk along together’ and ‘It's time now to tear down a long wall.’ Third, ‘a new step for happiness of all’ was categorized as ‘another start for the future’, ‘the conditions of selecting a job’ and ‘making a firm resolution’.

• 오은애(서울평화초등학교병설유치원 교사) | Oh, Eun Ae