RD.COM Holidays & Observances Mother's Day

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

Lindsay Tigar

Emma TaubenfeldUpdated: Dec. 23, 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.

1 / 41

rd.com, Getty Images

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.

2 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

3 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Abraham Lincoln

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

4 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

5 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Unknown

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

6 / 41

rd.com, Getty Images

Ezekiel 16:4

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

7 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Lin Yutang

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

8 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Spanish Proverbs

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

9 / 41

"Motherhood: All love begins and ends there."

rd.com, Getty Images

Robert Browning

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

10 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Jodi Picoult

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

11 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

12 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Tina Fey

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

13 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Lady Gaga

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

14 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Lupita Nyong’o

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

15 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

16 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

17 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

18 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

19 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

20 / 41

"[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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

21 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Amy Sedaris

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

22 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Shannon Alder

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

23 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

24 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

25 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Randy Susan Meyers

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

26 / 41

"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."

rd.com, Getty Images

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

27 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Erin Kelly

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

28 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Mitch Albom

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

29 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Marguerite Duras

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

30 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

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

31 / 41

"I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood."

rd.com, Getty Images

Lance Conrad

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

32 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Lisa Leslie

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

33 / 41

rd.com, Getty Images

George Washington

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

34 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Charlize Theron

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

35 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Milton Berle

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

36 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

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

37 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

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

38 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Jill Churchill

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

39 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Kate Winslet

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

40 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

Rupi Kaur

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

41 / 41

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

rd.com, Getty Images

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 a former assistant editor for Reader’s Digest who writes about digital lifestyle topics such as memes, social media captions, pickup 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.