As someone who doesn’t have a mom of her own, but being a mom to my own children, I have mixed feelings about Mother’s Day. I have had to draw inspiration about how to be a mom from different sources. One obvious source I used was movies. I promise, I didn’t only use movies to learn but they made me think and dream. What would my mom be like if I had one? These ladies in this list are some of the moms I wish I had. These moms are in no particular order.
M’Lynn Eatenton played by Sally Field from Steel Magnolias (1989). She is definitely a helicopter mom but I understand her worry. She was only a helicopter mom with Shelby played by Julia Roberts. She seemed more easygoing with her son. Admittedly, Shelby certainly gave M’Lynn reason to worry. She took great care of Shelby, even when it annoyed Shelby, she did it anyway. M’Lynn loves her kids and was absolutely destroyed when Shelby dies.
Rusty Dennis played by Cher from Mask (1985). This movie is based on the true story of Rocky Dennis. Rusty Dennis was not a typical mom. She was a biker mom raising a son afflicted with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia while being part of a biker gang. She did everything she could to give Rocky a normal life. The people she let around her son by choice didn’t care about the way he looked. She protected him or demanded equal treatment and respect for her son. She taught him to have self-respect and to never give up.
Molly Weasley played by Julie Walters in The Harry Potter Series (2001-2011). She fiercely loved her sons and daughter. She was also still in love with her husband. She earned the respect of her children even as she bossed them around. She called them on it when they messed up but gave them big hugs. She welcomed Harry with open arms and took over as mom for him. She gave him all the love, support, and scoldings that she would if he were actually her child.
Maria Von Trapp played by Julie Andrews in The Sound Of Music (1965). While Maria was not the Von Trapp children’s biological mother, she certainly filled that hole. She brought light, laughter, and song to the family once again. Captain Von Trapp was awfully stern man. He ran his house like a boot camp rather than a home. Maria brought out his softer side while making the children feel safe. She was nonjudgemental but softly strong.
Peg Boggs played by Diane Wiest Edward Scissorhands (1990). Peg is as clueless as they come. She is so cute though. Her heart is always in the right place. Selling Avon, she finds Edward. She brings him home to take care of him. She has raised some good kids of her own. They accept him into the family without a problem. Her daughter Kim, played by Winona Ryder, fell in love with him. Ultimately, to save her family, as well as Edward himself, she had to let him go.
Diane Freeling played by JoBeth Williams in Poltergeist (1982). This mom walks into the terrifying unknown just to save her daughter, secured with only a rope. That is bravery and love. When her family moves into their new house, they thought everything was going to be great. Then the haunting started and the poltergeists were targeting Carol Anne specifically and ultimately kidnapped her. Diane didn’t waver. She brought her daughter home.
Bella Swan played by Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga (2008-2012). Whether you love Kristen Stewart or hate her, Bella Swan gave everything to make sure her daughter would come into this world. Her father-in-law Carlisle, who is a doctor, told her to terminate the pregnancy. Even the love of her life was against the pregnancy and that didn’t sway her. She was still human and didn’t have a liquid diet. Still, she drank human blood to nourish her child. Ultimately she gave her life. After turning vampire, she gathered a small army to save her daughter. Never threaten a vampire’s daughter. Even if that vampire is a “vegetarian”.
Morticia Addams played by Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family (1991). Morticia Addams is probably my favorite mom of all time. There is no light that they are a “normal” family in America. That is one of the things I love most about them. Morticia is a loving and doting mom. She supports them in all their endeavors. Even sitting through their school play. Family is everything to her. Even the ones she doesn’t particularly understand. Morticia is the glue that keeps them together.
Sarah Connor played by Linda Hamilton in Terminator (1984). Sarah knows what is in store for humanity and no one believes her. After getting through her pregnancy, she learns to be a soldier and to live off the grid. She wanted to save her son so he could save humanity. It hospitalized her and got John taken from her but she loved her son. She taught him the skills she learned. She taught him to survive. She most certainly is not going to win most mom awards but she learned to be a commando to keep him alive.
Mrs. Gump played by Sally Field Forrest Gump (1994). Sally Field makes the list again. She plays a really good mom. Mrs. Gump knows her son isn’t like other kids but he is special too. She guides him and loves him unconditionally. Forrest does so much in his life and Mrs. Gump cheers him on the whole time. She has a quiet dignity that she instills in her son, along with an unbreakable spirit.
These are the moms I wish to have as a mom. They are also who I drew inspiration from in my own journey as a mom. Today I think I rock as a mom. I have also had the good fortune to have found a few good women in my own life to draw inspiration from as well as ask questions. Being a mom is hard. Give the moms in your life a hug. You don’t have to give birth to be a mom. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, no matter how it looks
