RD.COM Holidays & Observances Mother's Day

40 Mother’s Day Quotes That Are Sure to Brighten Her Day

Lindsay Tigar

Emma TaubenfeldUpdated: Aug. 18, 2022

These Mother's Day quotes will make you laugh, cry, and call your mom! Whether you're a mom or just have one, you'll love these motherhood words of wisdom.

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It can be easy to take our moms for granted. We should all let our moms know how much we admire them on the regular, but of course we have a yearly holiday just for appreciating our moms! One of the best ways to let your mom know how much you love and appreciate her is with words, and thanks to this list of the best Mother’s Day quotes, they don’t even have to be your own. We’ve collected the wisest words on mothers and motherhood to share with your mom and warm her heart. If you really want to impress Mom, read her one of these Mother’s Day poems, or tailor your words to your specific relationship with these mother-daughter quotes and mother-son quotes.

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"Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love."

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Stevie Wonder

“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.”—Stevie Wonder

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"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

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Abraham Lincoln

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”—Abraham Lincoln

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"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."

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Tenneva Jordan

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”—Tenneva Jordan

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"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever."

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Unknown

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.”—Unknown

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Ezekiel 16:4

“As is the mother, so is her daughter.”—Ezekiel 16:4

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"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother."

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Lin Yutang

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.”—Lin Yutang

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"An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest."

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Spanish Proverbs

“An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest.”—Spanish Proverb

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"Motherhood: All love begins and ends there."

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Robert Browning

“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.”—Robert Browning

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"The best place to cry is on a mother's arms."

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Jodi Picoult

“The best place to cry is on a mother’s arms.”—Jodi Picoult

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"My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind."

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Michael Jordan

“My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.”—Michael Jordan

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"Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy."

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Tina Fey

“Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy.”—Tina Fey

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"Acceptance, tolerance, bravery, compassion. These are the things my mom taught me."

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Lady Gaga

“Acceptance, tolerance, bravery, compassion. These are the things my mom taught me.”—Lady Gaga

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"[My mother] always said I was beautiful and I finally believed her at some point."

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Lupita Nyong’o

“[My mother] always said I was beautiful and I finally believed her at some point.”—Lupita Nyong’o

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"My mom is my hero. [She] inspired me to dream when I was a kid, so anytime anyone inspires you to dream, that's gotta be your hero."

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Tim McGraw

“My mom is my hero. [She] inspired me to dream when I was a kid, so anytime anyone inspires you to dream, that’s gotta be your hero.”—Tim McGraw

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"If I've learned anything as a mom with a daughter who's 3, I've learned that you cannot judge the way another person is raising their kid. Everybody is just doing the best they can. It's hard to be a mom."

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Maggie Gyllenhaal

“If I’ve learned anything as a mom with a daughter who’s 3, I’ve learned that you cannot judge the way another person is raising their kid. Everybody is just doing the best they can. It’s hard to be a mom.”—Maggie Gyllenhaal

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"I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn't seem to encompass enough when I use it about her. She was the love of my life."

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Mindy Kaling

“I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn’t seem to encompass enough when I use it about her. She was the love of my life.”—Mindy Kaling

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"My mother has always been my emotional barometer and my guidance. I was lucky enough to get to have one woman who truly helped me through everything."

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Emma Stone

“My mother has always been my emotional barometer and my guidance. I was lucky enough to get to have one woman who truly helped me through everything.”—Emma Stone

RELATED: Amazing sister quotes

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"My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart—a heart so large that everybody's joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation."

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Mark Twain

“My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart—a heart so large that everybody’s joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation.” —Mark Twain

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"[Motherhood is] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It's huge and scary—it's an act of infinite optimism."

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Gilda Radner

“[Motherhood is] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism.”—Gilda Radner

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"My mother always said 'Don't bother other people.' I think that's good advice."

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Amy Sedaris

“My mother always said ‘Don’t bother other people.’ I think that’s good advice.”—Amy Sedaris

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"Blessed is a mother that would give up part of her soul for her children's happiness."

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Shannon Alder

“Blessed is a mother that would give up part of her soul for her children’s happiness.”—Shannon Alder

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"Mothers were meant to love us unconditionally, to understand our moments of stupidity, to reprimand us for lame excuses while yet acknowledging our point of view, to weep over our pain and failures as well as cry at our joy and successes, and to cheer us on despite countless start-overs. Heaven knows, no one else will."

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Richelle Goodrich

“Mothers were meant to love us unconditionally, to understand our moments of stupidity, to reprimand us for lame excuses while yet acknowledging our point of view, to weep over our pain and failures as well as cry at our joy and successes, and to cheer us on despite countless start-overs. Heaven knows, no one else will.”—Richelle Goodrich

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"They are not kidding when they say that mothers are strong women. We need to be strong in more ways than our children will ever know."

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M.B. Antevasin

“They are not kidding when they say that mothers are strong women. We need to be strong in more ways than our children will ever know.”—M.B. Antevasin

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"In the end, mothers are always right. No one else tells the truth."

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Randy Susan Meyers

“In the end, mothers are always right. No one else tells the truth.”—Randy Susan Meyers

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"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dates all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."

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Agatha Christie

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dates all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.”—Agatha Christie

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"A good mother loves fiercely but ultimately brings up her children to thrive without her."

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Erin Kelly

“A good mother loves fiercely but ultimately brings up her children to thrive without her.”—Erin Kelly

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"But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins."

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Mitch Albom

“But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”—Mitch Albom

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"Our mothers always remain the strangest, craziest people we've ever met."

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Marguerite Duras

“Our mothers always remain the strangest, craziest people we’ve ever met.”—Marguerite Duras

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"Clarity and focus doesn't always come from God or inspirational quotes. Usually, it takes your mother to slap the reality back into you."

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Shannon Alder

“Clarity and focus doesn’t always come from God or inspirational quotes. Usually, it takes your mother to slap the reality back into you.”—Shannon Alder

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"I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood."

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Lance Conrad

“I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood.”—Lance Conrad

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"My mother was my role model before I even knew what that word was."

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Lisa Leslie

“My mother was my role model before I even knew what that word was.”—Lisa Leslie

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George Washington

“All I am I owe to my mother.”—George Washington

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"I can only hope to be 10% of the mom mine was to me."

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Charlize Theron

“I can only hope to be 10% of the mom mine was to me.”—Charlize Theron

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"If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?"

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Milton Berle

“If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?”—Milton Berle

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"Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together."

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Susan Gale

“Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together.”—Susan Gale

RELATED: Best family quotes

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"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow."

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Maya Angelou

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.”—Maya Angelou

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"There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

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Jill Churchill

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.”—Jill Churchill

RELATED: Great advice for new moms

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"That's the wonderful thing about mothers: You can because you must, and you just do."

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Kate Winslet

“That’s the wonderful thing about mothers: You can because you must, and you just do.”—Kate Winslet

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"My mother sacrificed her dreams so I could dream."

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Rupi Kaur

“My mother sacrificed her dreams so I could dream.”—Rupi Kaur

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"A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's."

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Princess Diana

“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.”— Princess Diana

Next, read these amazing motherhood quotes that’ll make you want to call your mom.

Originally Published: March 05, 2021

Emma Taubenfeld

Emma Taubenfeld is an assistant editor for Reader’s Digest who focuses on digital lifestyle topics such as memes, social media captions, pick-up lines, and cute pets. When she’s not working, you can find Emma reading corny young adult novels, creating carefully curated playlists, and figuring out how to spice up boxed mac and cheese.