Mother’s Day is celebrated in different amazing ways around the world. In South Africa, red, pink, or white carnations are worn to remember mothers both living and dead. In Mexico, mariachi bands and orchestras play ‘Las Mañanitas’, a song especially for mothers, while tamales and atole are given out. In Ethiopia, sons bring lambs or bulls, and daughters bring vegetables, butter, spices, and cheese, to make hash for Antrosht, a three-day feast. No matter how people celebrate Mother’s Day, everyone knows that mums are important, and that we wouldn’t be who we are without them.
In line with this, here are ten of the best mothers from the Disney movie canon, reminding us all that mothers are strong as hell, and don’t have to be blood relatives to love and cherish you.
1. Kala – Tarzan
It takes a lot of guts and courage to stand up to your partner, let alone fight off a cheetah, but Kala does both to defend her adopted son. No matter what, Kala stands up for Tarzan, and loves him despite their differences, she believes in him even when Kerchak and the other gorillas don’t, just because of who he is.
2. Chicha – The Emperor’s New Groove
While she doesn’t appear much in The Emperor’s New Groove, Chicha clearly loves her children* and does whatever she can to help them – the epitome of a great mum.
*I’m including Kuzco, because let’s face it, he’s basically a child too, and she cares for him as if he’s one of her own.
3. Helen ‘Elastigirl’ Parr – The Incredibles
This one’s pretty self-explanatory, to be honest. It can’t be easy to be a mum to super-powered kids, but Helen is just as elastic as her alias, and, if the trailer for The Incredibles 2 is anything to go by, she is a hero at the same time. Best superwoman of all time!
4. Ariel – The Little Mermaid II: Journey to the Sea
We already know Ariel is a strong woman from the first film, but in the sequel, she proves herself to be an amazing mum too. She basically has to shut herself off from her family in order to protect Melody from Morgana, and only returns to to the sea to help her daughter, even if it means putting herself in danger. Ariel’s amazing, and ‘The Little Mermaid II’ just makes that even clearer.
5. Sarah Hawkins – Treasure Planet
Treasure Planet is a seriously underrated movie, which makes Sarah Hawkins a seriously underrated mother. After her husband abandons them, she has to run the ‘Benbow Inn’ single-handedly, as well as trying to keep Jim on the straight and narrow. Even he knows that if anyone deserves Nathaniel Flint’s treasure, it’s her.
6. Queen Elinor – Brave
Elinor is a brilliant mum. Yes, she is strict and inflexible to start off with, but can you blame her when the future of the entire kingdom hinges on Merida? She clearly loves her daughter, and all she ultimately does – including changing her mind about marriage at the end of the film – is look out for Merida’s interests. Long live the Queen, indeed!
7. Eudora – The Princess and the Frog
Again, Eudora doesn’t turn up often in this film, but when she does, she’s superb. She’s never anything but supportive of Tiana and her dreams, and she’s part of the reason why her daughter never gives up on owning her own restaurant. What a great mum!
8. Mrs Potts – Beauty and the Beast
Let’s face it, Mrs Potts is the best. She dotes on Chip, and always looks out for him, especially in the recent live-action remake. What’s more, she basically acts as a second mum to the Beast, standing up to him in his tantrums and doing her best to fix his messes, as well as Belle. She’s the best character and the best mum.
9. Bambi’s Mom – Bambi
You can’t have a post about mums without including Bambi’s. She loves him, takes care of him, and when it comes to it, she dies for him. You can’t get a much better mum than that.
10. Mrs Jumbo – Dumbo
Finally, there’s this amazing woman. Like Kala, Mrs Jumbo stands up for Dumbo when no-one else will. When children go so far as to physically assault him, she acts in his defence and is chained up as a result. Even then, bars and weights cannot stop her from reaching out to her son, proving that mums are some of the strongest people around.