Outstanding Soap Opera Mothers

Dorathy Gass

October 12, 2022

Simply put, mothers are superheroes. They wipe our tears away when we are sad, take care of us when we are sick, and become momma bears when we are in danger. Daytime drama has some toxic mothers; however, there are also plenty of incredible ladies on the soap opera landscape who have raised amazing kids. Today, Fame 10 acknowledges outstanding soap opera moms in recent history.

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13. Anna Devane — GH

When she’s not super sleuthing, saving Port Charles, or romancing leading men, Anna Devane works hard at being one of the best moms in daytime drama. Not only has she been an incredible female role model to Robin, but she also worked hard to protect and raise her daughter into the great human being she is today. Even though it turned out that Peter August wasn’t her son, during the time she thought he was, she went above and beyond to help him on so many levels.

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12. Sharon Newman — Y&R

Sharon Newman may not have been a perfect mother over the years but her heart was always in the right place. She has worked overtime to get her life in order after she stumbled a bit (back in the 2010s), and since she’s been on track, she’s offered her children nothing but support and unconditional love.

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11. Abigail Deveraux — DOOL

Abigail suffered from mental health ups and downs, but one thing that never wavered was her love for her children. Even in her last breath, as she was struggling from the pain of her wounds, her final words to Chad were to ensure that Thomas and Charlotte were safe. A great mother always thinks of her kiddos first.

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10. Lulu Falconeri — GH

Before falling into a coma in late 2020, Lulu was a single mom juggling a career, kids and romance. She made it look so easy – as most single moms do – but whatever was going on in her life, she always managed to place Rocco and Charlotte first. Even if it meant having to co-parent with a Cassadine, or being a sole parent to her son while Dante was out playing super spy, Lulu put those kids ahead of everything else.

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9. Phyllis Summers — Y&R

Phyllis has done her fair share of scheming, manipulating and man-stealing, but she is a good mother. She loves her children, and won’t stop at anything to ensure that they’re safe and thriving. That may mean crossing a moral line here and there, but Red’s love and “momma bear” instinct is fierce.

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8. Kayla Johnson — DOOL

Not only does Kayla have the “girl next door” image down pat (even after all these years), but she’s also an incredible mother to Stephanie and Joey. Beyond that, she’s gone well beyond what’s necessary to prove to Steve’s adult son, Tripp, that he’s not only part of the family, but a son to her, too.

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7. Olivia Quartermaine — GH

For years, Olivia struggled as a single mom, taking care of Dante on her very own. She did an impeccable job with him, raising a stand-up guy who later became a great father in his own right (despite not having a father figure of his own). Currently, Olivia is experiencing “round 2” of motherhood with Leo, and the storyline around the child’s autism diagnosis — not to mention, the journey parents face — has been a beautiful watch.

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6. Victoria Newman — Y&R

She’s not only a successful businesswoman who can outwit anyone in the corporate world; Vicky Newman is also an incredible mom. Regardless of how she feels about Billy at any given moment, she always ensures that both kids know their parents love and support them. Despite growing up with two toxic parents of her own, Vic’s learned to do things right and always provides a positive environment for Katie and Johnny.

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5. Hope Brady — DOOL

Hope lands on this list for many reasons, but a big one is the positive relationships she has with her children, Shawn and Ciara. In many ways, they aren’t only her kids, but two of her best friends. The three of them have been through a lot together over the years, and the bonds between this mother and her children have never wavered.

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4. Maxie Jones — GH

Maxie is an overall great mom to all three of her kids, yet she lands on this list because of the ultimate sacrifices she gave to protect Bailey Lu. She not only went to extreme lengths to ensure Peter thought their baby had passed, but she also gave up precious moments with her little one to make sure she was safe. The most incredible momma bear move she made was when she begged Peter to kidnap her, instead of Bailey.

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3. Traci Abbott — Y&R

Traci is a kind soul who continues to be the glue that holds the Abbott family together. While her only daughter Colleen has long since passed, she was an incredible mother to the young lady, and always put her above anything else in her life. The silver lining for Traci is that she continues to play a positive mother figure role in the lives of Lily, Abby and Kyle. Plus, she’s developed a very special relationship with the newest member of the family, Allie.

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2. Steffy Forrester — B&B

Steffy Forrester has already lived about a dozen lives, despite only being in her early thirties. But as soon as she had children, the character was permanently changed; the arrival of Kelly signaled the end of her youthful hijinks. Suddenly, she couldn’t be bothered with boyfriend issues or love triangles. And now that she has a son with Finn, Steffy’s emphasis on family has never been stronger. Given the three kids portrayer Jacqueline MacInnes Wood has in real life, we reckon she’s just fine with her character’s lifestyle change!

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1. Alice Horton — DOOL

Alice always had time for her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids when they needed her. She offered a smile, a homemade donut or two, and the best advice in Salem. She led with a kind heart, and always did the right thing. Alice passed away decades ago now but is still mentioned frequently within storylines and scenes, thanks to the impact she made in the little town.

Dorathy Gass

Dorathy Gass is an avid fan of daytime drama and has been watching Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and Young and the Restless for over two decades now. As a full-time freelance writer, she gets to combine her love of soap operas and writing through her Fame 10 articles. Also a mother of two busy girls and a mommy blogger, she's been published multiple times over in Huffington Post Parents and Scary Mommy.