The meeting of disagreements: Parenting guidelines present in the families of institutionalized minor street children

Abstract

This article reports on a research work with a qualitative approach, from the hermeneutic phenomenological perspective, following the analytical process of the founded theory. The objective sought is to describe the experiences in parenting patterns present in the families of institutionalized minor street children. For this, in-depth interviews were conducted with five mothers of institutionalized children in Ciudad Don Bosco Medellín. The findings have to do with the history of the encounter of many disagreements that stem from factors in the bonding process. Disturbing factors intervene in the bonding process from the beginning (unplanned and unwanted children, pregnancies experienced with resignation by the mothers, the birth of the child of a sex not expected by the mother), and it is exacerbated by the fact that assume mothering, delegating the function to multiple caregivers, and ultimately to a protection entity. The most significant findings are: the implementation of negative parenting practices (hitting, yelling, insults, absence of rules, among others) and the use of money as a way to purchase the desired behavior, affecting affective ties, since at the same time it is tried through it to buy the love of the children. This fact generates a direct or bridging connection with the street, which becomes an opportunity to beg, establish criminal ties or antisocial behavior. The bonding process of these children has particularities that are observed in their actions and in the choice of their interaction with the street.