This cartoon disrespects moms and even shows kids hurting themselves—gross, not for kids. Screenshots attached. My take.

Hello everyone!

I'm a massive cartoon lover. To me, cartoons are family stuff—anyone can gather around and watch. I chase bright energy, solid visuals, a good laugh, or a tiny life lesson. Dark, brooding cartoons that leave you on edge just aren't my cup of tea. The Soviet short “And Mom Will Forgive Me” sits right in the “depressing, not for kids” zone.

Quick facts:

Type: hand‑drawn

Based on: Emma Moskvskaya’s poem “Obida”

Premiere: 1975

Studio: "Soyuzmultfilm"

Country: USSR

Length: 9 minutes 40 seconds

Cartoon startsThis short adapts Emma Moskvskaya’s poem “Obida.” Let's dive in.My take and thoughts:

I hurt my mom, Now never‑ever Will we step out together, We won’t go anywhere.

The kid’s voice delivers those lines, and I stopped dead in my tracks—why would a child hurt his own mother? Mom’s supposed to be the closest, most cherished person, someone you love and respect. What pushed him to act like that? The cartoon shows Mom buying a soft‑toy bear, putting it in a box, and gifting it to her beloved son for his birthday.

MomSonWhat does the boy do? He kicks the bear, grabs it with his foot and tosses it away. Talk about disrespect. He doesn’t even appreciate Mom’s effort. Even if the toy wasn’t his favorite, a little gratitude would’ve gone a long way—why slam it down like that? He comes across as spoiled and thoughtless, not caring how his actions would hurt his mother.

MOMHe basically drives his mother to tears. I felt genuine pity for her—she didn’t deserve that treatment. Kids like him need a firm lesson so they learn to value and respect their moms.

She won’t wave from the window, I won’t wave either, She won’t tell a story, I won’t either… I’ll grab a sack on my shoulder, Find a piece of bread, Find a sturdier stick, And head off into the taiga!

From that point on, I just have to vent. Resentment is a messy mix—pain, disappointment, anger, fear, self‑pity. It’s not something we’re born with, but we pick it up as kids. It hurts emotionally and sometimes physically; I get a stomachache or a headache when I’m stewing, others feel weak. Everyone’s different. In this cartoon, the boy snaps at his mom in a really harsh way, then decides the smartest thing to do is to keep gnawing at himself, shut down, and not talk to her, even though it’s clear he’s in the wrong.

So he just up and walks off into the taiga. No explanation, just leaves. And he keeps wallowing, feeling sorry for himself, hoping Mom will forgive him. It’s not easy on Mom either.

Seriously, you can’t teach kids that. No way. Letting kids stew, self‑sabotage, and end up with health issues? What were the creators aiming for? Kids need to learn to forgive, to apologize even when it’s awkward, to actually talk to their parents—not fill their heads with nonsense like “I’m leaving” or “No one gets me.” That’s how you get a generation of whiners!

What a heavy, pointless cartoon. It was a dumb idea to make it. They shouldn’t have produced this nightmare. Even the poem feels forced.

At one point the kid ends up on a construction site—just a tiny kid on a worksite. Who thinks that’s a good plot? How does he even survive? It’s bizarre.

I can’t recommend this cartoon to anyone. Watching it left me with nothing but bad vibes and an uneasy feeling afterward. It teaches the wrong lessons. You shouldn’t show this to kids. They deserve uplifting, kind stories about love, friendship, and fun fairy tales.