Top 20 Cartoon Moms You're Glad Aren't Yours

“South Park” (1997-)
On the surface, Liane Cartman seems like a kindly lady who’d make a great mother. After all, she always has time for her son Eric and helps him with many, many issues. Yet this caring nature backfires in a big way. Instead of a well-adjusted child, Eric is a spoiled, sociopathic, destructive, attention-seeking force who has no respect for Liane or others in the pursuit of his agenda. But here’s the issue: she generally doesn’t admonish Eric’s awful behavior, sometimes even informing it. If anything, she typically finds it adorable, which reinforces it. Sure, she eventually starts to have enough, but the damage is done! Beyond her molly-coddling, Liane also has an “adult” reputation in town, which has haunted Eric several times.

“Courage the Cowardly Dog” (1999-2002)
If you ever wondered what caused Eustace Bagge to intimidate and threaten Courage, well, let’s say the apple really didn’t fall far from the tree. His mother, Ma, is one of the most unlikeable characters in “Courage the Cowardly Dog.” Throughout, she berates Eustace, showcasing the poor attitude and behavior that he would initiate towards the purple dog. Ma seemingly hates being around her son the vast majority of the time. She also takes her hair loss insecurities out on him, belittling his follicle-lacking head as often as possible. Her hatred also extends to his wife, Muriel, who returns the favor by wanting nothing to do with the Bagge matriarch. Weirdly, Courage doesn’t get Ma’s venom. Instead, he’s spoiled by her.

“Shrek 2” (2004)
Fairy tales have taught us that Fairy Godmothers are kind, heartfelt, and empathetic beings who want to help a struggling person with their troubles. Just look at “Cinderella.” But “Shrek 2”’s version is nothing like that. Instead, she’s a schemer who’s desperate to increase her political power. Godmother also puts her overly pampered son, Prince Charming, in positions of influence through deception, steam-rolling anyone in her way. She may be a pretty good singer, but she is not a good mom, essentially raising him to be scum! There’s also another “Shrek” mother who deserves the finger-point of shame – Queen Lillian. She should’ve realized that locking her daughter away in a tower for years to hide her ogre transformation was, you know, totally wrong.

“Disenchantment” (2018-23)
In the early days of “Disenchantment,” Bean’s seemingly-deceased-but-actually-a-statue mom, Dagmar, was shown as a wonderful parent who cared for her daughter as she grew up. However, when Dagmar returns to a non-petrified life, that is quickly seen to be a massive ruse. Instead of doing and saying things to be nice, Dagmar is preparing Bean for a prophecy and even tries marrying her off to Satan. Lovely! Dagmar even ends the life of demon Luci, one of Bean’s BFFs. She also orchestrates the demise of Bean’s partner, Mora. Throw in psychological torment, confinement, verbal mistreatment, and attempting to end Bean’s life, and you have a mess of a mother. At least justice is ultimately served.

“Gravity Falls” (2012-13; 2014-16)
When Pacifica Northwest is introduced in “Gravity Falls,” she’s a stereotypical “popular girl” who mocks people she thought were weird, promotes her family lineage, and is plain mean. As it turns out, this attitude is due to her parents’ Priscilla and Preston’s overbearing behavior. Indeed, her mom has drilled into her that money, etiquette, and good looks are the most important aspects of life. Instead of admonishing her daughter for her elitist behavior, Priscilla encourages it. To make matters worse, she does nothing to help Pacifica in the face of Preston’s psychological torment. Thankfully, Pacifica has a change of heart and becomes good – but that’s in spite of her mom, not because of her.

“South Park” (1997-)
The naive Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a delight in “South Park.” But it’s amazing he turns out the way he is with a mother like Linda. In “Butters' Very Own Episode,” for instance, she loses her mind upon discovering her husband, Stephen, is cheating on her with men. So, Linda attempts to permanently get rid of Butters. She and Stephen then lie about what they did and claim he was taken. They eventually tell the truth at a press conference, scarring Butters even more. But that’s not all. Linda has shown her authoritarian ways against her son several times, grounding or attacking him for things he has no control over or didn’t do. With a mom like this, who needs enemies?!

“Hey Arnold!” (1996-2004)
Imagine being raised by parents who place the bulk of their focus on your older sister. They see her as a golden child and lavish her with praise while dismissing you. Who wouldn’t have some issues? That’s what Helga Pataki deals with. All her troubling behavior can be pinpointed to this rough home life. Her mother Miriam, ignores her most of the time, favoring Olga instead. She even let Helga take herself to preschool – in the rain! Miriam struggles with mental health and substance use, and we’re not judging. But she doesn’t seem to care enough about Helga, notably endangering her on their road trip.

“BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)
The title character of “BoJack Horseman” has a host of issues, most of which can be traced back to his toxic relationship with his mother, Beatrice. Through flashbacks, we get a glimpse into his rough upbringing with her. On top of forcing him to perform songs for her friends, Beatrice would verbally mistreat BoJack by making sure he knew he was damaged, that he destroyed her, and that he wouldn’t amount to anything. To make matters worse, Beatrice has little to no self-awareness throughout most of the show. This is likely because she had it extremely rough growing up, too. Unfortunately, she doesn’t break the cycle prior to her passing, having instead become what she despised.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)
Queen Grimhilde – aka the Evil Queen – has terrified us since “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” After all, maternal figures don’t get much more callous than her. After the passing of her husband, she treats her stepdaughter Snow like dirt, while indulging her vanity with the Magic Mirror. That’s bad enough – but it’s also a deadly beauty contest, with the Queen enlisting a huntsman to eliminate Snow – he doesn’t. At this point, a rational mother would stop. But no, the Evil Queen is vile, using magic to disguise herself and poison Snow White, putting her in a cursed sleep. Naturally, the protagonist is saved and the villain perishes, but how did we end up here?! We’re really glad Grimhilde isn’t our mom.

“The Simpsons” (1989-)
Negligence is the one of the leading causes for most of the world's most miserable children, and this mother has produced living proof. Her son Nelson Muntz might be the best example of a kid with some serious “Mommy issues.” From a very early age, Mrs. Muntz led her son to believe that his father’s departure was his fault. Apart from her struggles with substance use, Mrs. Muntz has held a number of unstable jobs, and listen, there’s no shame in that. But it seems nurturing Nelson and making him feel loved is low on her list of priorities, which is a shame.

“Phineas and Ferb” (2007-15; 2024-)
How many parents can say they’ve raised a bona-fide evil scientist? Though Mother Doofenshmirtz doesn’t get much screen time, her son’s back stories make it clear she’s had a pivotal – and negative – influence. She placed little value on young Dr. Doof, even allowing him to be repurposed as a lawn gnome. She also skipped the day of his birth…somehow. Her blatant favor for Doof’s brother, Roger, meanwhile, created a schism of jealousy that motivated plenty of wicked schemes. Even his daughter points out that Dr. Heinz isn’t really evil, just a poor soul that’s driven by a tragic past. If his neglectful mother hadn’t raised him in such a dehumanizing environment, he might’ve actually grown up to be a good guy!

“South Park” (1997-)
In every gang of young misfits, there is always one kid’s mom that no one is a fan of. Mrs. Broflovski is notorious for putting an end to anything the children of South Park find remotely fun, making her the town’s designated buzz-kill. Her tolerance for anything inappropriate is at an all time low, and she isn’t scared to use protests or the legal system to make sure her voice is heard. Sheila isn’t one for negotiation, and her over-protectiveness is what likely leads her son Kyle to distance himself from her.

“The Fairly OddParents” (2001-17)
Most mothers are known to be highly wary of who they let babysit their kids - that is, when they manage to remember their kids even exist. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case for young Timmy Turner, as whenever his parents leave, he’s left in the care of his maniacal babysitter Vicki. Mrs. Turner’s acts of negligence are largely due to her oblivious behavior, yet she does nothing to make up for her overall lack of parenting skills. Timmy’s cries for help usually go ignored, which forces him instead to take solace in his Fairy Godparents, which we’re sure he’s oh-so-glad to have.

“King of the Hill” (1997-2010)
Some mothers support the household. However, things are a little different on “King of the Hill,” as this one tends to believe she is the household – and that’s the problem. Peggy Hill’s egotism seems to transcend her family, spreading to the whole town of Arlen. Her tendency to overvalue herself and her role in the community frequently causes her family mild embarrassment and endless frustration. This attitude is strongly linked to the unpleasant upbringing Peggy had with her own mother, but it has consequences.

“Tangled” (2010)
Mother Gothel took Rapunzel at a young age to secure the magic of the girl’s hair to retain her own youth and beauty. Keeping Rapunzel locked away in a tower, Gothel believes she’s able to live out eternity in youthful bliss, all the while betraying the princess’ trust. Needless to say, she does not treat her faux-daughter well by any means, isolating and belittling her at every turn. Rapunzel often excuses Gothel’s over-protectiveness and jealousy because of a false sense of motherly love at first. Thankfully, she eventually learns the truth, and is reunited with her real, loving mom.

“Danny Phantom” (2004-07)
Not all mothers can just accept you for who you are. Unable to put up with her daughter’s disdain for conformity and any color other than black, Pamela Manson attempts to force Sam into her own image. Aside from their vast wealth, Pamela believes it’s unbecoming for her daughter to represent their family the way that she does, which consequently forces Sam to rebel even more. She also highly disapproves of her best friend Danny Fenton, as they’ve established a rivalry with his family. It’s disappointing to watch, as youth should be encouraged by parents to embrace their identity.

“The Simpsons” (1989-)
There are some moms who just don’t know when to let their sons leave the nest. Seymour Skinner is seen living with his mother, with whom he shares a very unhealthy relationship. Their various arguments have ranged from who he’s dating to how he doesn’t give her enough attention. Agnes refuses to treat her middle-aged son like the adult he is, which causes him to despise her company. Their rocky family affair has been present ever since Seymour was a child, and is often attributed to his birth denying her a career as an Olympic gold medalist.

“Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-)
Peter usually gets attention as the terrible parent in “Family Guy,” and for good reason. But we can’t overlook Lois Griffin’s destructive behavior. After all, her attitude towards her daughter Meg, especially in the early seasons, is horrendous. Lois mocks her, seduces her boyfriend, and ignores or even encourages her distress, to name a few things. The other kids don’t have it easy, either. You can take your pick of things she does to Stewie. Chris has also been on the receiving end of his mom’s torment. Remember that time Lois ended Heather, his toy girlfriend? She regularly puts herself above her children, so she’s definitely not winning a mother of the year award anytime soon.

“Cinderella” (1950)
When in doubt, blame it on the stepchild. Also known as the Wicked Stepmother, Lady Tremaine’s harsh treatment of Cinderella stems from her overwhelming jealousy of her stepdaughter’s superior grace above those of her biological daughters. Fearing that the protagonist may one day recognize this, Lady Tremaine keeps Cinderella’s self-esteem low at all times, dresses her in old garbs, and subjects her to housework. But she’s not so great to her own kids either: her hope to one day marry off her daughters into a rich family supersedes her hope for them to one day find true love and happiness.

“Futurama” (1999-2013; 2023-)
Raising your kids can be really tedious when you’re plotting to take over the world. In the public’s eye, Carol comes across as the caring and nurturing mother you never had, so much so that she’s convinced the whole world to refer to her as such. However, her three sons have grown to know better. Mom is the CEO and owner of MomCorp, a worldwide conglomerate that manufactures most of the Earth’s robots. Her bitter and cynical attitude is largely attributed to the breakups she’s had with Professor Farnsworth in the past – but even that’s not enough of an excuse for her evil nature and lack of empathy.