Focused ethnography was used to identify beliefs, values and practices of Health Promotion and Quality of Life among mothers of preadolescents in Argentina. This study described how they influence their preadolescents' choices and protect them from risk behaviors. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 10 mothers, including participant observation, tape recorded interviews, field notes and personal diary, supplemented by genograms and used photographs as an option. Through content and theme analysis, we gained greater understanding of the role of mothers in protecting their children from health risk behaviors. We also identified the meaning of two care patterns and how the term "good life" made sense to them.
health promotion; quality of life; mother-child relations; nursing