Molly: Good Mom or Bad Mom? (was Re: OOTP observations: Molly...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 132782

> >>Kaylee Tonks-Lupin:
> <snip>
> But I wouldn't say Molly's not a "good" mother. She may not be     
> the "best", just like mine isn't the "best", but, after all, she  
> DID raise seven children, and, per JKR, homeschool them all       
> before Hogwarts. She must be good for *something*.  <bg>. 
> Just my two Knuts.

Betsy Hp:
I have Molly issues, too.  I don't think she's evil, and I don't 
think she's abusive, but she manages to push my buttons.  While 
she's got a lot of "good mom" traits (family oriented, knitting, 
cooking, good with hugs) she's got a slew of "bad mom" traits as 
well (shrill, judgemental, divisive, small-minded).  It makes me 
wonder how exactly JKR views her, herself.

Because the Weasley family home doesn't strike me as a particularly 
happy one.  Arthur is practically non-existent in his own house (and 
painted as a hopeless idiot whenever he *does* come home from the 
office or his work-shed).  The two oldest boys (Charlie and Bill) 
got jobs as far away from home as possible.  Percy (Molly's "good 
boy") hasn't moved away, but he's definitely left the family.  The 
twins are two drinks away from being the worst sort of bullies 
(they've already landed one prank victim in the hospital).  Ron has 
serious self-esteem issues.  Ginny is a sneak.

When you compare Molly with other literary moms, she tends to land 
(IMO, anyway) in the "bad mom" pile.  She's more the bad mom 
from "Pride and Prejudice", for example, than the good mom 
from "Little Women".  So it seems like JKR is suggesting that Molly 
isn't all that great.  But then you get a scene like her hugging 
Harry at the end of GoF that suggests that, no Molly is supposed to 
be seen as a good mother.  So I'm confused on how I should be 
reading Molly.

Regardless of how JKR wants me to see Molly, I know that for me 
she's a walking guarantee *against* OBHWF (One Big Happy Weasley 
Family).  Even if the books do end with Ron/Hermione and Ginny/Harry 
sailing off into the sunset, a future of bliss will *not* occur.  
Not with Molly as a mother-in-law.  

Hermione will *never* do anything right where Molly is concerned, 
especially when it comes to the grandkids, and Ron will always fail 
to measure up.  (Well, the boy did go out and marry a *muggleborn* 
for goodness sake, not that Molly is judging the girl, but really 
muggles do have the strangest ideas.)  

Poor Ginny will be haunted day and night by Molly just popping by to 
drop off some fresh baked goodies, or share the latest pattern from 
Witches Weekly, or to help her with the spring cleaning Molly just 
*knows* Ginny was about to start.  When the major screaming match 
occurs (and you know it will) Harry will be appealed to by both 
witches and he'll probably end up hanging out in the shed with 
Arthur.

Just my opinion, of course.

Betsy Hp