Rural South Sulawesi mothers’ emotional capital: supporting primary school children’s remote learning during COVID-19

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 and the resulting disruptions from the shift to emergency remote learning remains an important concern, particularly for those communities where geographical, economic and social factors exacerbated the challenges. This study explores the experiences of mothers living in a rural area of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, as they encountered new challenges associated with supporting their primary school children’s education through online platforms. The study draws on in-depth interviews with 10 mothers thematically analysed through the concept of emotional capital. The findings reveal how the mothers’ own educational histories impacted on their emotive responses to helping their children with emergency remote schooling. The mothers also encountered difficulties engaging with unfamiliar technology such as smartphones that were the default technology that mediated their children’s learning. We argue that the care, time and support the mothers provided for their children’s schooling during this difficult time reflects the emotional capital they invested in their children’s education. The implication is that the emotional support that these mothers provide for their children’s learning, especially in the context of strained resources during COVID-19’s educational disruptions, should be acknowledged and valued, thus making their work less invisible.