Centre for Research on Families and Relationships

‘Trust me, I know exactly how you feel’: Undisclosed thoughts on researching single mums when you are one

“Yup. Uh huh. Ok… Could you tell me more about that?” This is my side of the interview. I listen intensely, nod my head along, and utter some phrase along these lines. It seems rather monotonous, but it’s necessary. This does several things for me and the other person: it ensures active listening, encourages the conversation to continue, and keeps a flow and rhythm to our interaction.