<p>This study aimed to describe the meaning that a group of university mothers gives to motherhood, as well as the parenting practices they use with their children. It was developed under a qualitative methodology with structural design of social representations, conducted in-depth interviews with 14 mothers students of university programs in business administration, social communication and journalism, social work and psychology. The results show that this group of mothers perceives motherhood as an experience traversed by a series of socially constructed beliefs that impact their child-rearing practices; an experience in which being a mother and studying at the same time makes social support essential, which brings as a consequence that child-rearing is shared.</p>