10 parenting lessons from TV’s greatest moms

I love TV. I always have. For me, it is probably my number one way to unwind after a long day. I can zone out and become one with the couch and enjoy some time to myself. (Or with my husband if he agrees to watch what I want to watch because, truth be told, I dominate the remote in our house.)

And I will say—I do have other hobbies I enjoy, too—like reading and writing and taking a bath with a face mask on, etc. But watching a show I’m really into is truly relaxing to me.

So, I’m excited for all the fall TV shows to come back (This Is Us!). My summer shows have ended and I’m experiencing withdrawals from good television. I need to reconnect with my favorite characters, my people, especially the TV mamas I relate to so much nowadays.

Because to be honest, I’ve learned a lot of pretty key mom lessons from these wise mama characters I watch on the silver screen. Like from Gloria Pritchett—you can be sexy and still be a mother or from Meredith Grey—you can dominate the medical field and balance #MomLife.

Here are some of the best lessons I’ve learned from the greatest TV moms ever.

1. Tell it like it is—Claire Dunphy from Modern Family

She’s a competitive perfectionist who stole our hearts with her dedication to honesty. She doesn’t sugar coat—she tells it like it is. And personally, I could learn to care less about what people think and more about speaking my mind like Claire. ?

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2. Coffee is life—Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls

Lorelai is a fun, free-spirited mama. No wonder Rory wants to be her BFF. You know the biggest lesson this mom taught me? The importance of coffee. The art of mommin’ with caffeine. The appreciation for a solid cup of joe. Cheers to you, girlfriend. ☕

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3. Your dreams are worth it—Jane Villanueva from Jane the Virgin

Jane is a Type-A young woman with big goals. She gets accidentally artificially inseminated and decides to go for it—to become a mother. I love this show so much. And I love Jane. Jane teaches everyone each week that no matter how hard this motherhood gig gets, you and your personal dreams are always worth it. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. ?

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4. You’re a mom for life—Camille Braverman from Parenthood

Camille is an experienced wife and mom. One who has been through a lot with her husband and her kids—infidelity, bad (secret) investments, unending dramas between children—the list could go on for this mama who was married for 46 years. I think the main message Mrs. Braverman sent me is that—Mommin’ doesn’t end. Ever. No matter how old your children get. (Oh and #BackyardGoals for family dinners. ?)

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5. Mamas are warriors—Rainbow Johnson from Black-ish

Rainbow is so cool and I’d like to be her in my next life. She’s an anesthesiologist who was raised by hippies. We watched Dre and Bow go through a very scary situation at the end of season three when Bow was diagnosed with preeclampsia and had to deliver their sixth child by emergency C-section eight weeks early. Rainbow Johnson—you taught me how to be a warrior mama. We are really strong, aren’t we? ?

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6. Laughter is the best medicine—Kitty Forman from That ‘70s Show

I’m trying to remember if there is any scene Kitty is in where she hasn’t left me in hysterics. This funny lady has not only taught me the importance of a well-coiffed ‘do, but also the importance of laughter and looking on the bright side. ?

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7. Speak up for yourself—Rebecca Pearson from This Is Us

Last season ended with Rebecca asking her husband Jack to move out because they needed space. I mean—this is a mother of three busy kids who is married to an alcoholic who basically just gave up her dream of being a singer because it was too hard to balance it all—I get the desire for space. One lesson we can take away from Mandy Moore’s character is that speaking up for yourself is always worth it, and sometimes you do need a break from insanely stressful situations. ?

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8. Confidence is key—Claire Huxtable from The Cosby Show

Claire has been Mom Bossin’ since the eighties. She’s a mother to five and a partner at a successful law firm—who clearly runs the show at home and the office. She’s always shown us the true power of a strong woman, and that going after what you want or asking for what you want are always a good idea. Main takeaway from this mama? Confidence rules. ?

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9. Sometimes, all you need is patience—Marge Simpson from The Simpsons

ln the wild Simpson household, Marge is the voice of reason. The grounded one. She keeps things steady and tries to maintain some sort of order on the regular. She may be more reserved than some other TV mamas, but she has a good, kind heart and lots and lots of patience. So, yes, patience, Mrs. Simpson—thank you for showing us that if you can be patient with Homer, we can be patient with our family, too. ?

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10. Hard work gets you places—Kris Jenner from Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Love her or hate her, Kris is quite the businesswoman and mama of six. She has created a successful show based on her family, launched many successful business ventures, and always seems to strive to help her kids achieve their goals. This momager clearly has two things going for her—she’s loyal and clearly hardworking. ??

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So aside from learning how to be a mom from the real life moms in my personal motherhood dramedy—like my mother, sister, aunts, etc.—there’s something to be said about what TV moms have taught us. I’m always excited to get to know strong female characters, and I can’t wait to follow their stories this season.