Distance education has long been touted as a viable option for women, especially mothers of young children. Yet despite the vast amounts of literature that support this claim too little is known about the lived experiences of mothers who are distance learners. This study adopts Moustakas' modification of van Kaam's model, which was based on Husserl's transcendental phenomenology. It examines the social phenomenon of mothers as distance learners, identifies the commonalities in each of five individuals' experiences, and explores the essence of what it means to be both a mother and distance...