Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers out there. For all your sacrifices, for all your patience, and for all your love, we hope you enjoy a day specially dedicated to all you do. There aren’t enough words to describe the impact a mother has on her child. Television had some truly phenomenal examples of motherhood as well. It was a tough call choosing among all the great contenders, but we’ve narrowed it down based on the strength and unconditional love these mothers showed regularly. Here are our top five mothers, and our fictional heroes.
-Penelope Alvarez, One Day at a Time (Netflix)
I may be biased, but Latina mothers have a special kind of strength to them. One Day At A Time’s Penelope has all the strength of a Latina mother that comes with carrying the traditions of her culture and accepting that her own children might not carry those lessons in the same way she does. Penelope is a single mom, she’s a combat nurse, and she’s a Cuban woman. She’s as tough as they come, but isn’t afraid to be funny and vulnerable, to lean on other women, especially her own mother, when she needs to. You know a woman with a strong backbone when she isn’t afraid to ask for support. By doing that, she is able to better support and understand her own children.
-Maya DiMeo, Speechless (ABC)
Mothers of children with disabilities deserve all the praise in the world for the extra work they do. I’m not just talking about all the day-to-day functions of keeping an organized house and fighting for your child’s education. I’m talking about the constant fight to show the world that your child deserves everything a “normal” child deserves. If you have other children there’s the added responsibility of making sure you give equal attention to all, and the inevitable heartbreak of knowing that not everyone has the tact, decency, or understanding that you do about what makes your child special. Maya has hit all of these points since we’ve met her, and she’s done it with wit, grace, and honesty.
-Rebecca Pearson, This is Us (NBC)
NBC’s breakout hit won our hearts from the first episode. Even if you have the greatest dad in the world, there’s a part of you that wishes Jack Pearson could also be your Dad. Part of why we love him is because he shouts to the world what we already know, that his other half Rebecca is just as wonderful a parent as he is. Though initially unsure if she could be a good mother, Rebecca grew into the role of the Best Mom Ever. She loves each and every one of her children unconditionally, treats them like they are special in their own way. Even before they were born, she said loud and proud that she loved her children. She says it every chance she gets. You can’t imagine how much it means to hear that everyday. You never want to take a mother like that for granted.
-Jane Villanueva, Jane the Virgin (The CW)
I can’t say enough good things about Jane’s mothering skills. She is what every modern day Mom should aspire to be. In her crazy telenovela life, Jane has never once wavered in being a good mother. Mateo was the child she never expected, and you can’t say she’s been anything but responsible. She puts her son first always, and learned to navigate the unique dynamic she, Michael, Rafael, and Petra had as parents. She expresses every fear all mothers have about being a good parent, but she doesn’t despair in it. She is always searching for solutions, she is always seeking guidance, and even at her lowest point, she pulled it together. I can’t think of a better example of great parenting than the way she handled explaining their crazy family dynamic to Mateo. You try explaining artificial insemination to a preschooler!
-All Big Little Lies Women (HBO)
While these women are a hot mess, you can’t criticize their mothering skills. They’re not perfect moms, but they advocate for their kids 100%. They love their kids, but they also appreciate that their kids aren’t perfect. They don’t treat their kids as though they’re perfect. They encourage their kids to be honest with them, to be there for their peers, to express themselves creatively, and to speak up when they see something wrong (something the adults, them included, don’t do enough). All of these moms want their kids to do better than them, to be more honest and decent then them before life inevitably tosses them around. I’m looking forward to seeing these moms in a second season.
Which of our Best TV Moms are your heroes?
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