Another Mother’s Day is here, and while I do appreciate my real life mother more than I can say, I also want to make sure I show appreciation to all my fictional moms who also shaped me as I grew up.
1. Molly Weasley.
Molly Weasley from the "Harry Potter" series has what every mom wants—magic abilities to help her with the dinner. She also has seven kids and while they may not always act perfect, they are her whole life and heart. She even, in a way, takes in Harry as her own and includes him in the annual Christmas sweater gift tradition. Mrs. Weasley always looks out for her children and their best interests, even if they do not realize. Their home, The Burrow, houses a clock that does not tell time, but instead keeps track of the whereabouts and state of each family member so that Mrs. Weasley knows when they are safe, or in danger.
2. Pam Halpert.
Pam from "The Office" is supermom, honestly, taking care of her two children and her husband Jim. She has to put up with Michael Scott’s nonsense during the birth of her first child. He tries to be way too involved with no boundaries and Pam handles the situation. She must also deal with Angela’s nonsense while they are both pregnant at the same time later in the series and the grace she shows is insurmountable to any other character’s interaction with Angela. Pam acts as full-time mom and full time office administrator while Jim is away in Philly. She works through marital issues and eventually sells her house so that the family can move to Austin and let Jim pursue his dream job.
3. Mrs. Bennett.
The mother of five daughters, Mrs. Bennett from "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen just wants what is best for her children—to marry them off to rich men. In her time, with only daughters in the family, this was the only goals for parents. She encourages the eldest, Jane, to walk to her potential suitor’s home, even though she may catch cold, just so she will be forced to stay there longer. She wanted Lizzie to marry Mr. Collins for the money, but in the end, supports her decision to marry Mr. Darcy for love. Mrs. Bennett’s poor nerves are tested by her younger daughter Lydia who chooses to elope with Phil Wickham. She still is excited for Lydia, however, because she just wants to see all her daughters married and happy.
4. Mrs. Potts.
Besides the fact that she was literally turned into a teapot by a sorceress who was just trying to punish a man, Mrs. Potts from "Beauty and the Beast" deserves appreciation for raising her son Chip and all the other teacup children not shown while running the entire kitchen. She also took care of her fellow cursed household items like Lumiere and Cogsworth and even the Beast himself. It was Mrs. Potts who helped Beast realize he loved Belle and encouraged him to be nice to her.
5. Sally Jackson.
Percy Jackson’s mother, Sally, stayed with the most disgusting and disrespectful man in New York City merely because his stench was so foul, the mythological monsters after her demigod son would be kept away. She put up with his abuse because she wanted to protect her son. Luckily, she is able to leave him after Percy finds an arguably safe home at Camp Half-Blood. However, she must now sacrifice time with her son for his safety, which she does without hesitation but with much love.
6. Edith Crawley.
Edith from "Downton Abbey" just wants to find a husband and be happy. After the disappearance of her fiancé, she must give up her baby in order to avoid scandal and ridicule from her community. She creates a plan for her daughter to be in the care of farmers on her family’s land and also take the girl in as her ward, so she can still be in her life. She loves her daughter so much and just wants her to be close, but this in turn creates more drama and suspicion. Edith may not bet the most perfect character, but her motherly love is evident despite her circumstances.
7. Rosa Hubermann.
Mrs. Hubermann from "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak takes the main character, Liesel, in as a foster daughter from her communist biological mother in World War II Germany. She demands Liesel to call her Mama and while she comes off as abrasive at first, is still loving towards the girl when it matters most. Liesel bonds with Mr. Hubermann faster than with her new Mama, but the two ladies are able to comfort and help each other when he is later drafted.
8. Ellie Oswald.
Clara’s mother from "Doctor Who" is only seen in flashbacks, as she is killed in the attack of the plastic mannequins from “Rose” in season one. These flashbacks show her love for Clara and that she would always protect her and always find her again if she got lost. This was a message that Clara carried with her throughout her life. Her mum was going to see the world, but this chance was stolen from her, so Clara decided to see it all for her and in turn was able to see the universe.
9. Helen Parr.
Formerly Elastigirl, now Mrs. Incredible, Helen also has superpowers to help her parenting. However, she still faces the struggles that every mother does—just with the added bonus of supervillains. She encourages her kids to do their best and when the going gets tough, she pulls her family together and ensures that everything will work out.
10. Aunt May.
After the murder of her husband, Uncle Ben, Aunt May (from any of the "Spiderman" franchises) must raise her nephew, Peter Parker, on her own. In each version of the story, we see Aunt May look out for what is best or Peter as he searches for answers about his parents and discovers who he is. Uncle Ben once said that, “With great power, comes great responsibility,” and the true is same for motherhood.
I see parts of my mom in all these ladies and I'm thankful to have grown up with a mom who encourages my love of fiction. So this Mother’s Day, give your mom a hug and tell her she reminds you of one of these wonderful women.
BONUS MOM: Steve Harrington.
Not the mom we expected, but the one we all needed.
