Generative strategies in times of shocks: Ukraine's experience

Abstract

Russian full-scale invasion caused serious threats to generative activity in Ukraine. The concept of generative activity encompasses a set of actions and relationships aimed at childbearing and care about child/children, fulfilling the obligations of adults to contribute to the well-being of the younger generations through upbringing, teaching, socialization and also taking care of their safe environment. There are various strategies concerning childbearing in unsafe conditions of war in Ukraine, among them: postponing the birth of a child for better times, having a child to continue the family line, having a child after a previous postponement (due to fear of no having better chance later), having a child as a replacement for a lost child or pregnancy etc. From the beginning of the full-scale war, there was an increase in women's responsibility for the safety and upbringing of children, and an increase in the prevalence of "intensive motherhood" as generative strategy because many women lost direct support in raising and caring for children from men. The full-scale war forced many mothers to move abroad with children, others – to move with children to safer areas within Ukraine, many husbands/ fathers are protecting their motherland on the frontline, some woman and their children have already lost their husband/father during this war. From the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation until now, more than 1.6 thousand children in Ukraine have been left without parental care due to the death of their parents (one or both of them).