We have a tendency to celebrate what is sweet and loving about mothers, but there's another breed of moms who aren't all fresh-baked cookies and warm milk. These mothers want (or wanted) what's best for their kids (and in come cases, themselves). Some have taken a tough but fair approach to getting things done — and others have been more than willing to crush rebellions and murder family members to make things happen.

 

This article was reprinted with permission from LiveScience.