During those long, late-night feedings is a great time to binge on some great TV shows about parenting.
There are so many amazing TV shows for moms out there. Some make you cringe, laugh, and cry all at the same time!
We’ve put together the ultimate list of the most popular TV shows about parenting, provided you some quick synopses (with ratings!), as well as given some guidance on where to find them.
However, it’s important to note that online streaming services change their material constantly so we apologize if a TV show is no longer available.
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In This Guide:
The Letdown
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9.5/10
The Letdown is another one of the great parenting shows on Netflix. It’s an Australian comedy that follows new mom Audrey Holloway (played by Alison Bell) and the friends she meets in a new mother’s group.
This show does an amazing job of nailing modern motherhood struggles. Things like trying to create a pinterest-worthy first birthday party and contemporary romantic relationships.
It’s hilarious and painfully relatable.
Call the Midwife
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9.5/10
Call the Midwife is a powerful glimpse into the lives of midwifery and family of East End London in the 1950s. The show follows the midwives, nurses, and nuns of Nonnatus House as they work tirelessly to help their local community.
While often heartwarmingly funny, it can also be very moving and serious. Call the Midwife deals with tough subjects such as traumatic births, thalidomide babies, stillbirths, and even abuse. Although we will say that most of the stories, while nail-biting, often end up to have happy endings.
It’s tales of friendship, medicine, adventure, courage, and motherhood are unparalleled. The show is truly a treasure and a very enjoyable watch.
Teen Mom
Where to watch – MTV.com (free), YouTube ($), Amazon Prime ($), iTunes ($), Google Play ($)
The Moms At Odds Rating – 6/10
Love it or hate it, Teen Mom is one of the most popular reality TV shows about parenting ever made.
It continues the story of some of the mothers from it’s series ‘16 and Pregnant’. But while 16 and Pregnant focuses on the challenges of pregnancy and birth, Teen Mom specifically deals with the struggles of teen motherhood.
The first season of Teen Mom follows mothers Farrah, Maci, Amber, and Catelynn on their parenting, academic, career, and relationship journeys. It certainly has mixed reviews. While some claim it glorifies teenage pregnancy and motherhood, others see it as an accurate and realistic portrayal.
Whether you’ll love or hate this show ultimately depends on your feelings regarding reality TV. We find it both addictingly dramatic and a trainwreck all at the same time.
Black-ish
Where to watch – Hulu
The Moms At Odds Rating – 8/10
We have so many positive things to say about Black-ish (including it’s political commentary and insights on racial relations in America), but we’re going to concentrate on the TV show as it relates to parenting.
Black-ish really embraces and celebrates modern motherhood. Bow Johnson (played by Tracee Ellis Ross) is a doctor and mother of five. Her children range in age from infancy to college-age and she has to seamlessly navigate all the challenges that come with those life stages.
The show has both a funny and very serious vibe. Depending on the episode, at times it can even borderline on being silly and too ridiculous.
Workin’ Moms
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9/10
Workin’ Moms is a Canadian masterpiece that will have all parents roaring with laughter.
The show follows four moms who meet in a hilarious parenting group where they share their strange parenting adventures, struggles, questions, and guilt.
As the title suggests, all of the mothers are figuring out how to balance their new role of motherhood with their existing careers. Something many of us can relate to.
In our opinion, it’s one of the most funny parenting shows on Netflix. Although at times it can be a little over the top and somewhat unrealistic.
Modern Family
Where to watch – Hulu
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9/10
Modern family is a hilarious look at, you guessed it, modern family life. It’s filmed in the style of a mockumentary and follows three related families on their parenting journeys.
While one family would be considered “traditional” (mom, dad, 3 kids), the others are less conventional but equally as loving (a dad on his second marriage with a younger wife and stepson as well as a gay couple with an adopted child). It deals with issues of hom*osexuality, parenting, and race in a hilarious and entertaining way.
This show is laugh-out-loud funny that will have you chuckling for hours afterwards. The characters are beautifully written, both over the top and relatable at the same time.
Fuller House
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 6/10
This is a great show for fans of the original Full House series. You’ll recognize all of the characters and appreciate the nostalgia as grown up, widowed, DJ Tanner deals with raising three sons with the help of her sister, Stephanie, and bestie, Kimmy.
The reboot is as sweet, silly, and cheesy as the 90’s version. While not exactly an accurate portrayal of most real world parenting, it is funny and light viewing.
Catastrophe
Where to watch – Amazon (with Prime subscription)
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9/10
In this British series, an American traveling on business in London has a fling with an Irish school teacher which leads to an unintended pregnancy. Despite barely knowing each other, the couple chose to have the baby together and give a relationship a try.
If you’re looking for a smart, hilarious, and a bit dark look at parenting this show is right up your alley. Fair warning, the characters and humor are quirky, honest, awkward, and dirty. It tackles serious problems while managing to keep the overall feeling fairly light and keep the laughs coming.
With 4 short seasons, this show is super easy to binge and it’ll leave you wanting more.
Jane The Virgin
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9/10
Jane is a young virgin who finds herself pregnant by accidental artificial insemination. It sounds totally crazy, right? But somehow this telenovela-inspired show makes it work.
While the series primarily follows the romantic life of Jane, her pregnancy and motherhood are integral to her story and very prominent. While many aspects of the show are way over the top drama, like love triangles and evil twins, so much of Jane’s experience as a new mom is completely relatable.
We watch her struggle with breastfeeding and wonder if she will ever shower. The most unbelievable scene might be when she’s peacefully nursing her newborn under a cover in her own room, who does that?
Another thing about this show that sets up apart from many others, is that they are always diligent about mentioning who is caring for the baby. All moms know that this is a reality that most tv shows gloss right over.
Parenthood
Where to watch – Hulu (with subscription), YouTube ($), Amazon Prime ($), iTunes ($), Google Play ($)
The Moms At Odds Rating – 8/10
This series follows three generations of the Braverman family as they navigate life. Given the wide range of characters, the show is able to explore the relationships between adult children with each other, their parents, and their own children.
One of the best things about Parenthood, is that it depicts so many different family relationships and aspects of parenting from infants to adults. It also tackles topics like adoption, aspergers, and unintended pregnancy with sincerity.
Parenthood is heartwarming and funny, great for a laugh and a cry, and is surprisingly easy to binge all 6 seasons.
This is Us
Where to watch – NBC, Hulu (with subscription), Sling TV(with subscription)
The Moms At Odds Rating – 8/10
This Is Use follows the story of the Pearson family over several decades.
Jack (Milo Ventmiglio) and Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) are young parents with three newborns. The series unfolds in present time and flashbacks with the occasional flash forward too as we watch the Pearsons deal with parenting, loss, and sibling relationships.
The show manages to keep you on your toes with frequent big reveals about the characters. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Be prepared with the tissues because it can be a real tear jerker, especially when you have those pregnancy and postpartum hormones raging.
This show is ongoing and currently airing it’s 4th season on NBC, but you can get caught up on Hulu.
Gilmore Girls
Where to watch – Netflix
The Moms At Odds Rating – 9/10
Unlike most of the tv shows we’ve listed, Gilmore Girls doesn’t really go into new motherhood, pregnancy, or babies at least not as a main story arch. Instead, it focuses on older mother-daughter relationships and is a fan favorite for tv shows about moms.
The series revolves around Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her teenage daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel) and their truly unique bond and friendship. The show also explores their strained relationship with Lorelai’s own mother.
This show is funny, light, and witty, hitting highs and lows as we watch our chatty main characters grow. Even if you watched the series when you were younger, it is super interesting to see how your perspective may have changed since becoming a mom yourself and how you identify differently with the characters.
Also, Netflix released an additional short season, Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, about 10 years after the series ended which is a must watch for fans.
