Digital Technologies and Motherhood: A mothers’ Viber Group of First-Grade Children

This paper focuses on digital communication between mothers of firstgrade primary school children in a rural area in Argolida, Greece, and explores verbal and non-verbal expression daily through the Viber app. Sending texts, videos, and audio messages, sharing emoticons, memes, and stickers, choosing to be in silence or avoid communication play a crucial role in shaping how mothers connect with others, manage their relationships, and navigate their social spheres. It also ensures the flow of information about school life, the exchange of views and ideas about motherhood, and strengthens the bonds between group members, promoting solidarity and support. Today, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, digital platforms have emerged as an important tool for maintaining and strengthening communication. The purpose of this study is to investigate communication among mothers of primary school students in Greece while using the Viber app. In addition, it seeks their attitudes within the group, how communication between them is enhanced, the existence of tensions or conflicts, and how they are resolved. The qualitative research was conducted through in-depth interviews with twelve (12) mothers of children in the first grade of primary school, aged 28 to 47 years, from March to April 2025. The research participants are mothers who regularly use mobile devices and social networking platforms. Through these interviews, it analyzes efforts to enhance their mutual interactions, their involvement in significant school life decisions, and the emotional support they offer for personal issues.