Queen Grimmhilde
Lady Tremaine
Mother Gothel
Ariel
Naveens Mom

Really do not have a reason, she seemed like a great grandmother, but I don't know much about her mothering skills...who's mom was she? Mulan's moms or dads?

Her son left the castle, does she send people to go looking for him? No! She just sits around on her teapot butt and sighs about Belle being gone!!! Plus I think she's his grandmother not his real mom.

SweetPea2007- Fa Zhou's. If she was Fa Li's mother, her family name wouldn't be Fa.
I do think she's a good mother, but she's the female counterpart of Triton (who I also think was a good father.) So why does Triton get so much flack but everyone loves Elinor? Anyway, rhetorical question.
She was a good mother, but she should have at least listened to what Merida had to say. Even if she didn't feel there was anything she could do about it, she could have at least discussed the laws with Merida and tried to explain them to her. Children are much less likely to rebel if they at least understand the logic behind the rules they must follow.

Same as before

Just to make it clear, I don't think that any of them are particularly bad...but if I pick one, I go for Mrs. Potts. I agree with the post ago, she doesn't even notice that her son is missing after Belle leaves the castle in the middle of the night...doesn't she control the cupboard (ehh...that sounds worse than it is)? I think chip (how did he get chipped anyway?) calls her "mom" at one point, so I guess she is his mother.

She's not bad, but not particularly good though..

I switched to Elinor. She has bad communication skills with Merida and chooses no to her what Merida is saying (Merida is doing the same thing to her). Also, she lets her sons gallivanting and act a fool all over the kingdom. Clearly she can not discipline her children.

rhythmicmagic thank you for clarifying I did not know that....
About Mrs.Potts:

Hmmm I did not consider the thing with chip missing....of course it looks like the woman has a ton of kids and he is the most mischievous....and it is a big castle so he could be gone for hours before she would miss him....(I thought the chip represented a chip in his tooth) and why would you think she was his grandmother? She has a lot of kids so that might be one reason she is gray headed, or she just grays young (my 10 yr old already has a few gray strands),some women keep having kids in thier 40s and 50s so that be another reason for the gray hair....

As I've said before, she's always controlling Mulan and forcing her to be perfect and bring honour to the family.

So strict, that it makes her daughter rebel!

I don't think any of them are bad mothers :( but If I have to pick...well...she tried to pressure her daughter to get married and have kids?

Or Elinor but overall I think all the rest are good mothers.

Few thoughts about Fa Li here -> link

She's a good mother, but she's sometimes too obsessed with what must be done, instead of listening and reasoning with her daughter's desires.

After her it gets harder.

What exactly makes Elinor so bad? It isn't her fault Merida keeps fighting against her. It's her JOB to teach Merida how to be a good queen, which Merida was completely inept to be at the time. Not to mention, a war was about to break out among the clans, and Elinor was trying to stop it before it happened by helping Merida choose a suitor. This isn't evil of her- forcing her to marry a guy she doesn't know (not that Merida gave any of them a chance) wasn't good, but she did it to protect her kingdom. This is no different than Mulan going to the matchmaker to get married and bring her family honor.

I think the fact that Elinor is just acting like a parent bothers some people who would rather have a parent who spoils you rotten and doesn't make you act like a princess, like the Sultan.

AudreyFreak I actually agree with you....

Elinor? I don't even like her but she's a good mother!

I think she's not a good supporter for Mulan.

Like I said before, she seems to lack motherly instinct.