Re: Cliff Bishop
1. Well Tommy isn't a part of his life really (omg that's 4/6 of my chars, Al included, without father figures for most of their life....I swear I have literally the greatest dad ever. It's just that all these awesome marvel ladies work as single moms (and frank is a shitty dad) too and idk it just ended up that way. Anyway.)
Cliff isn't the most well-adjusted person, so it's maybe weird to say that Kate doesn't have any major failings. But Cliff has just been dealt some unfortunate hands during awkward teen years and he just had all these expectations that came crashing down at the same time. It was a bad combo, and despite her busy schedule Kate did notice and did whatever she could for him. Maybe she could've dialed down his Hawkeye expectations more but he looks up to her so much that that'd be difficult. Or maybe sent him to NA earlier, but I think Cliff's issues are more unfortunate circumstances (powers, crushed life plans, bad school experiences, etc etc) than anything due to bad parenting.
2. I think Kate both showed and taught him that she had his back and would be there for him no matter what. Even when things are at their most unstable and even when she's across the country she's sort of that base and safety net that he knows will be there for him no matter what. He's pretty sure she'd go full grand theft auto game for him. And there's a sense of security in that that Cliff needs, that if everyone is against him or a school is (and has been), that she'll be on his side and full out fighting for him. I think it's also his favourite part of his mother too.