What Single Mothers Can Learn from Four Great Movie Moms

Single mothers are becoming more and more common. Cederick Tardy, founder of S.T.R.O.N.G., Inc., a nonprofit that provides education and resources to empower youth and families, lists is top four movies with strong single mother characters and talks about why those mothers raised leaders.

With single parents now the norm—nearly two-thirds of births to American women under 30 occur outside marriage—they’re also dominating the big screen.

Last summer, newly single-in-real life actress Katie Holmes began shooting Molly, a film she co-wrote, is co-producing, and stars in as the single mother of a daughter. Last November, Tyler Perry began shooting Single Mom’s Club, a comedy about four women who meet through their kids’ preschool.

“I love movies about single moms because they often highlight the qualities that help single moms raise confident, successful kids,” says Cederick Tardy, founder of S.T.R.O.N.G., Inc., a nonprofit that provides education and resources to empower youth and families.

“Having been raised by a single mother, I know the job can seem overwhelming. Mothers, especially moms of boys, may feel like they’re doing well just to get their sons through adolescence alive and with no criminal charges.”

Tardy interviewed dozens of single mothers for his book The Seven Secrets: The Manual for Raising Boys to Men and those who raise leaders share certain characteristics. They also take definitive steps, such as setting firm boundaries and instilling in their children a sense of purpose, that help keep their sons motivated and on course.

What are some of the other qualities they share? Tardy points to the movies and four of his favorite single moms:

The Karate Kid (1984) – Single moms should ensure their sons have strong male role models and, while Lucille LaRusso didn’t actually find Mr. Miyagi for her son, Daniel, she allows the relationship to flourish, Tardy says. “They don’t get better than Mr. Myagi, the Army veteran and Medal of Honor winner who teaches young Daniel karate.” It’s not enough to simply provide role models and hope some good rubs off, Tardy notes. “As with Mr. Myagi, there should be a plan, a mission, something specific your son can learn that will move him closer to his goals.”

Erin Brockovich (2000) – If kids’ basic needs aren’t being met, you can’t expect them to be able to focus on the higher pursuits for which leaders-in-the-making must aim, Tardy says. “The first thing Erin does right in this movie is to doggedly pursue getting a job,” he says. Then, though she’s just a legal clerk, she discovers a puzzling case file and follows her intuition to dig into it and learn more. She eventually uncovers a large company’s complicity in contaminating a town’s water supply. “Erin believed in herself – she knew her questions were valid and she pursued them. And she thought for herself – she didn’t accept the big company’s pat answers,” Tardy says. “What I especially like is that this movie is based on a true story.”