ABSTRACT
As I outlined in the previous chapter, class constitutes far more than an economic relationship. Nevertheless, at a fundamental level, lifestyles and opportunities are tied to an everyday material reality. In this chapter I will outline the kinds of disadvantage faced by the mothers in the sample and explore how they cope on a day-by-day basis. I will begin by examining the wider context in which poor mothers in the UK raise their children by providing a brief picture of low-income Britain. I will then highlight some more personal stories of getting by from the mothers in the sample. These accounts show how obtaining sufficient money and securing decent housing are consuming imperatives, shaping biographies and experiences of motherhood. By focusing on specific examples the chapter will explore the meaning of raising children in the context of struggling to survive with very little money, power or security. Alongside various stories and experiences from mothers in the sample are three more detailed accounts: the first tells of life as a lone mother on benefits; the second documents the experiences of a repartnered mother and step-mother; the third examines the life of a ‘working poor’ family through the eyes of a migrant wife and mother. These stories detail the very particular challenges faced by three women, but they also serve to illustrate themes shared across the whole sample, such as vulnerability, deprivation, injustice, determination, commitment and resourcefulness.
