My 4 Favorite TV Moms: the Traditional and the Non-Traditional

As a child of pop culture, I've seen many TV moms come and go. June Cleaver, Carol Brady, Marion Cunningham, Claire Huxtable, Carmela Soprano, Sharon Osbourne. That's one from each decade of television so far, and that's a very small percentage of them all.

To coin a phrase, times change. To me, the best mothers in both television and real life have the ability to change with the times, while still retaining some old-fashioned values and traditions. In these times when life is more hectic than ever before and so much of our communication comes through technology rather than face-to-face, that can be very difficult to do. My own mother did it and, as the single parent of an 18-year-old daughter, I like to think that I've managed to do that as well.

Here, listed in the order their shows premiered on television, are five of my favorite TV mothers. Some are considered traditional, some non-traditional, but all have traits and/or values that I admire.

Olivia Walton (The Waltons, portrayed by actress Michael Learned)

In the 1970's, a show called The Waltons portrayed the life of a Virginia family in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the Great Depression. The Waltons had very little money or other material possessions. What they did have was each other and their devoutly traditional values. As the mother, Olivia Walton met the challenge of feeding, clothing, and raising her children with faith, love, and hope. Three of the best values a mother can have during any time period or through any difficult time.

Ann Romano (One Day At a Time, portrayed by actress Bonnie Franklin)

Also appearing during the 1970's was One Day At A Time. You might consider Ann Romano to be at the opposite end of the mommy spectrum from Olivia Walton. Ann was a newly-divorced single parent struggling to build a new life for herself and her teenage daughters. The show, as well as Ann, tackled issues relevant to the times and to single parents, the number of whom was on the rise at the time. Ann's struggle included finding employment with no college education and very little work experience. It encompassed her dealings with her ex-husband and child support, as well as the challenge of dating again. Ann saw her teenage daughters through issues such as college choice, running away and teen pregnancy. She did all this while relying on herself and her own strength and ingenuity, all the while maintaining her senses of hope and humor. Although I didn't know it at the time I watched Ann Romano each week, I would face the challenges of being a single parent myself.

Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (Law & Order, portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson)

First appearing during the 1990's, Lieutenant Anita Van Buren has now been a fixture on the orignal Law & Order series for 15 years. She is an excellent role model for women in general and mothers in particular. Anita Van Buren is a black woman serving in what has traditionally been the role of men--commanding officer in a major metropolitan police force. The lieutenant commands respect from the officers who serve under her, while also maintaining the roles of wife and mother away from her job. Indeed, her desire to make the world a safer place for her children is a part of what drives her as an officer. Her role of mother has also made it possible for her to identify with both victims and perpetrators. I hope I have been half the role model for my daughter that Lieutenant Van Buren has been for her sons.

Lorelai Gilmore (The Gilmore Girls, portrayed by Lauren Graham)

Lorelai Gilmore is a mother of the new millenium. First appearing in the year 2000, Lorelai was raising her teenage daughter, Rory, as a single mother who had given birth at the age of sixteen and chose not to marry the father of her child. Like Ann Romano, Lorelai Gilmore is a strong, independent woman, who relies on herself and her own strength to overcome the obstacles in her life, while raising her daughter. However, for the first sixteen years of Rory's life, there was very little input from, or support by, her father. Lorelai and Rory's relationship is different from that of most TV mothers and daughters. As well as being mother and daughter, they are also best friends. This was often attributed to the young age at which Lorelai gave birth, but I believe it is also because she and her daughter have so much in common. Lorelai and Rory have much the same relationship as I have with my own daughter, now 18. We are true friends, and I believe that added dimension to our relationship has been, and will continue to be, an integral part of our lives, as my daughter moves on to college and a career.

The world changes and, to be effective, mothers must also change. However, it is important that they maintain strong values and traditions. These provide stability in this ever-changing world of ours.