Perhaps the kid was influenced by something he saw or heard and acted out in a bad way. Maybe there were underlying issues at home that caused this behavior.
Maybe it's an accident when the kid is too close to the screen and gets startled. Or the content of the cartoon is too intense and scares the kid.
Maybe the kid is in trouble or wants something urgently.
It could be that the kid had a great day and is sharing the joy with mom by hugging her. Or perhaps the kid had a bad experience and needs mom's reassurance.
It could be that the mom said something that upset the kid, or maybe the kid is frustrated about something and taking it out on mom. There are many possible reasons.
Perhaps the mom was misled or had some misunderstandings that led to this action. But no matter what, hitting a baby is a serious issue and goes against proper parenting.
Often, such a scene in a cartoon can be a shocker and set off a series of events like the community coming together to support the kid or the kid learning a valuable lesson. But it really varies from one cartoon to another.
If a cartoon kid gets hit by a meteor, it could be the start of a crazy story. Maybe the impact unlocks hidden abilities within the kid or brings about an encounter with otherworldly beings.
Maybe the kid did something wrong or got into trouble, making the mom really worried and sad.
Well, usually a cartoon mom would gently pull the covers up over the kid and maybe give them a kiss on the forehead.
The kid could be showing a new toy he got or a drawing he made.