“That’s How Family Is: We Take, Give, and Give Back”: Low-Income Mothers’ (In)ability to Rely on Kin at the Intersection of Familism and Individualism

This study examines the relational dynamics of low-income mothers’ involvement in kin networks at the intersection of familism and individualism. Drawing on in-depth interviews in Israel, it identifies four patterns. Two consist of high involvement and good relationships, with one based on generalized and the other on balanced reciprocity. These patterns characterized the few mothers who had more resourceful networks and a stable source of income. However, the two most prevalent patterns consist of low involvement and conflictual relationships. Mothers who experienced exclusion found it difficult to deal with competing expectations and felt highly frustrated with kin. By contrast, mothers who described withdrawal appear to have given up on the ideal of familism and opted for individualistic values instead.