20 lessons learned from TV moms

Linda Belcher from Bob’s Burgers always looks on the bright side of things, and in a world that can be very dark at times, it’s important to remember that the sun is always shining; it just might be behind some clouds at the moment.

When Richie and his friends weren’t at Arnold's on Happy Days, they were often at the Cunningham residence and embraced by Mrs. Cunningham as her own. That is because Marion knew that family isn’t always about being blood-related; it’s about who you care for.

If there is one TV mom one would never want to go toe-to-toe with, it’s Joyce Byers from Stranger Things. She proved throughout the series that there is nothing she would not do to ensure her kids' safety, including facing literal nightmares because, at the end of the day, fear is just a feeling to overcome when it comes to love.

This Is Us will be remembered as the show that put their fans through emotional turmoil weekly for six seasons, and while a lot of that was due to Randall Pearson’s tears and monologues, a lot of it was because of the matriarch herself, Rebecca. She was dealt a lot of loss and could have flown off the rails, and no one would’ve questioned why, but she kept it together for her family and herself and never failed to push forward, even when the world was pushing back with all its might.

There was a moment early on in Modern Family where Gloria typed out a not-so-nice email and accidentally sent it. At that moment, Gloria taught viewers that sitting on one’s feelings for a second before hitting send is important.

Morticia Addams helped show the world that it’s okay to stand outside the norm.

Jean Milburn’s job revolves around sex, making the subject easier to discuss with her son on Sex Education. Not every parent has that luxury, but Jean also showcased that when a parent is open and honest about sex, their kids usually reciprocate well enough that they don’t go out into the world with only the knowledge they “learned” from the wilder sites online.

Today, women can do just about anything they want, but back in the day, it felt as though they either had a job or a family. That started to change in the ‘70s, and by the ‘80s, television reflected families where moms were working just as hard as their male counterparts. That includes Claire Huxtable from The Cosby Show.

The Office provided so much during its nine-season run, but one of the most poignant moments came right at the end when Pam Halpert delivered the line, “There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn't that kind of the point?” It’s about appreciating the everyday little things that make up the big picture — something everyone could do more often.

Rochelle from Everybody Hates Chris served up a lesson in having respect to the fullest degree because when one messes around, they often find out quickly why that was a very bad idea. So it’s just better to do what needs to be done.

The Brady Bunch introduced people to the most modern of families back in 1969 when they became the first blended family on television. Carol was the matriarch of this family that, in turn, helped a lot of other real-life families around the world view remarrying and embracing new family members in a positive light.

By the ‘90s, TV moms were far from June Cleaver, Lois from Malcolm in the Middle included. She was rough around the edges, quick to yell, and wouldn’t blink twice when answering her front door topless. As the theme song says, she was a modern-day mom who knew all too well that life was unfair. She laments as much to Malcolm in the wonderfully done series finale when she tells him the harsh truth of what’s next for him after graduation; it’ll be hard because that’s life, but all he can do is work hard and stay focused. 

Jessica Huang was one-part mom and two-part drill sergeant, but that’s only because she wanted nothing less than the best for her sons on Fresh Off the Boat. She tried to instill a strong work ethic in each of them, and while her oldest pushed back, she never failed to highlight the importance of hard work.

Rainbow Johnson’s life on Black-ish was insanely admirable. A doctor with a handful of beautiful kids living in a gorgeous home in the Los Angeles area? Yeah, Rainbow had it good, but those that may have missed where she came from, she grew up in a cult of sorts. Despite the years she spent there, she managed to adjust to the real world and become a huge success because one’s beginnings should never dictate their current state and future.

Marie Barone was an incredible mother on Everybody Loves Raymond and an excellent grandma. As for being a mother-in-law? She could be quite a lot, but what Deborah did on that show was teach any and everyone just how to combat even the most extra set of in-laws.

Peg Bundy’s fashion on Married... with Children could be the inspiration for a Met Gala one day.

Marge Simpson has been a favorite TV mom since 1989, and since then, she has done so much. Still, in season eight in “Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious,” she called attention to the importance of taking a break. She was overworked to the point that her signature blue hair fell out in clumps. She wised up and took some much-needed time to herself. That was back in 1997, but that remains true. When feeling overwhelmed, taking a step back to breathe is okay.

Kitty Forman, a delight. Her husband? Not so much. Red wasn’t the most easy-going guy on That '70s Show. A hot-head husband and a basement full of teens, and a questionable smell, may’ve driven some insane, but Kitty embraced it all with a level of patience and kindness, showing that when love is involved, it’s not hard to take one’s time with them.

Everything Lucy approached on I Love Lucy was with humor because life’s too short to be serious all of the time, so don’t forget to smile and laugh regularly.

Beverly Goldberg is more than a mother. She's bonafide smother. However, underneath all of that next-level obsession with her children and those sweaters she wore on The Goldbergs laid a lesson: Always allow oneself to shine.