Conference Agenda

This study investigates parent-child dynamism and internal self-negotiation among 30 Japanese mothers of children aged 0–12, focusing on their narratives regarding "Shiage-migaki" (maternal toothbrushing assistance). Utilizing Dialogical Self Theory, the research identifies significant internal conflicts between the "Responsible Authority" (upholding health norms) and the "Empathetic Caregiver" (responding to the child’s resistance).The analysis reveals the influence of "Family-Specific Thresholds of Tolerance." While mothers often report uncertainty in general parenting amidst shifting social trends, toothbrushing is positioned as a domain of high normative pressure where they exercise authority based on specific internal boundaries. However, these boundaries are subject to Micro-Oscillations during intense interactions. The study categorizes conflict resolution styles into four distinct types: 1) Internalized Authority (strict enforcement driven by duty), 2) Creative Dialogical (transforming the conflict into playful interaction), 3) Self-Suppressive (prioritizing the child’s emotional state over the task), and 4) Resigned/Distanced (relativizing the task's long-term importance).Significantly, mothers perceive this ritual as the final hurdle that concludes each day ("saishu kanmon"), performed while physically and mentally exhausted from work and domestic labor. The successful completion of this demanding task provides a critical context for self-valorization. By fulfilling their maternal duty despite intense internal conflict, mothers generate a sense of competence and moral integrity. This process functions as a vital psychological mechanism for restoring self-worth among self-sacrificing Japanese mothers who tend to underestimate their own value due to cultural expectations of "good motherhood." These adjustments are linked to specific "Self-Care Modes"—Static, Physical, or Social/Professional—which function as regulatory mechanisms to alleviate internal tension and maintain self-integrity. The study concludes that "Shiage-migaki" constitutes a dialogical space that functions as a vital arena for fostering the mutual development of both mother and child.