Parenting can be a terrifying job, but it’s a little bit easier when you have some iconic horror moms to look to for inspiration – maybe more so for what not to do. So this Mother’s Day, spend some time with a few of the scariest moms around.

Kayako Saeki (Ju-On)

Just because you’re a ghost doesn’t mean that you can’t spend quality time with the kids! Take it from this scary mom who takes her son just about everywhere. Kayako doesn’t let small details like being dead stop her from spending quality time terrorizing Japan with him. It’s difficult to deny the cultural impact this duo has had on the genre, which helps solidify Kayako as one of the best (and scariest) horror moms.

Edith Brennan (Mama)

For all the adoptive mothers out there. Just because you found your children feral in the woods doesn’t mean that you love them any less! Raise them like they were your own and kill anyone who suggests otherwise. Also: this creepy mama gives fantastic hugs.

Pamela Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

If you’re the protective type, you’ll appreciate the mama bear tendencies displayed by Mrs. Voorhees. Not content to mourn the death of her son, she chooses the best alternate option: vengeance. And sure, trying to prevent more kids from dying camp-related deaths by killing a bunch of kids at a camp doesn’t seem like the logical choice, but don’t tell Mrs. Voorhees that.

Margaret White (Carrie)

If you aren’t the protective type, you might be better suited to instill strong, cult-like religious values into your child, and push their sanity until you unlock their hidden talents. Terror is admittedly not a great motivational tactic, but it’s hard to deny that Mrs. White’s daughter made an impression at her high school prom.

Eun-joo (A Tale of Two Sisters)

Can’t forget all of the evil stepmothers out there. Considering this role has been a trope since the early days of fairy tales, it takes a truly exceptional stepmom to rise above the pack. Eun-joo may be responsible for the deaths of half of a family, but she’s definitely scary enough to haunt her stepdaughter’s consciousness. Embrace the ambiguity and the terror you strike into the hearts of so many.