40 of the best mum quotes that every mother needs to hear

Let’s face it – when it comes to writing heartfelt words, not all of us are master poets or gifted wordsmiths. And when it comes to saying something lovely to your mum, whether it’s for a Mother’s Day card or your mum’s birthday card, you might need a little bit of extra help. And we’re here to provide that help! We’ve searched high and low and found some lovely mum quotes from other smarty-pants through history who’ve already thought of the right thing to say.

 

Still not quite hitting the mark for what you want to say on Mother’s Day? If you want some traditional messages, check out our blog on what to write in a Mother’s Day card, so you can absolutely nail it with a sincere and sweet message (and then absolutely nail the gifting side as well with our selection of Mother’s Day flowers – you’re welcome in advance).

 

To help you get started on finding the perfect mum quote, we’ve curated a selection of our favourite timeless quotes about mums from writers, celebrities, historical figures, and even fiction, all focused on expressing deep affection for the most important lady in your life. We’ve got you covered with everything from mum to be quotes, mother-daughter quotes, and hilarious mum quotes! 

 

While you’re here, why not browse our range of wonderful Mother’s Day cards, and find the perfect one in which to display your chosen quote: 

 

 

Mum quotes from authors and writers

 

Where better to begin the hunt for eloquent quotes for your mother this Mother’s Day than with some of the great writers of history? With a mum quote from one of these famous people in your card, you’ll be sure to make your mum’s day.

 

Here are our five favourite special mum quotes from authors that a perfect for a traditional Mother’s Day card:

 

1. “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie
2. “My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” – Mark Twain
3. “The only mothers it is safe to forget on Mother’s Day are the good ones.” – Mignon McLaughlin
4. “A mother’s arms are made of tenderness, and children sleep soundly in them.” – Victor Hugo
5. “It’s a funny thing about mothers… Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful.” – Roald Dahl

 

Quotes about mums from historical figures

 

It’s hard not to read about famous people in history and not find a mum quote hidden somewhere in their life. If you’re ever in any doubt about what to write as a quote for your mother, you can’t go wrong by turning to history.

 

This is what five well-known people from history had to say about their mums:

 

1. “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” – George Washington
2. “It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful?” – Mahatma Gandhi
3. “God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers” – Rudyard Kipling
4. “A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s” – Princess Diana
5. “I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars.” – E. M. Forster

 

Celebrity quotes about being a mother

 

Of course, it’s not just figures from history who have penned quotes about being a mother. We need only turn to a few famous faces who attribute their careers to the values their mums instilled in them for some special mum quotes.

 

We’ve pulled out another selection of our favourites if you want a more modern mum quote for your Mother’s Day card:

 

1. “I think I’m my mom’s best friend, more than a daughter” — Carrie Fisher
2. “We’re best friends — she’s a very special woman. She’s been so supportive. She’s partly the reason why I have so much respect for women. I’m never going to find someone as good as my mother, am I?” – Justin Timberlake
3. “No matter who you are, you fall in love with her because she is spiritual, she’s inspiring, she’s strong, she’s funny, she’s creative, she’s talented… she’s everything that I want to be.” – Beyonce
4. “My mom is the No. 1 person who has taught me to be courteous towards women, to always be respectful and polite to them, and to always lead with your heart.” – Zac Efron
5. “No one’s really doing it perfectly, I just think you love your kids with your whole heart, and you do the best you possibly can.” – Reese Witherspoon

 

Movie and TV quotes for your mother

 

While there are plenty of excellent quotes about motherhood that you can pull from history and the real world, for more quotes about being a mother to put in a heartfelt Mother’s Day card, you can always turn to fiction.

 

Below are just a few of our special mum quotes from popular movies:

 

1. “My mother used to say: the older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.” – Rose, Golden Girls
2. “You know every story, every wound, every memory. Their whole life’s happiness is wrapped up in you… every single second.” — Isabel, Stepmom
3. “How do I explain my mother? She is as respected as Mother Teresa, as powerful as Stalin, and as beautiful as Margaret Thatcher.” Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation
4. “I need her to make me some cocoa and tell me that everything that is going badly in my life will sort itself out.” — Kathleen Kelly, You’ve Got Mail
5. “Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.” – John Steinbeck, East of Eden

 

Mother and daughter quotes 

 

Here at thortful, we know that the mother-daughter bond is unique and unbeatable. So, we’ve carefully selected quotes which reflect the unconditional love present in mother-daughter relationships: 

 

1. “Maybe motherhood means honoring one’s mother.”- Sheila Heti 
2. “They both began to giggle and then…fell into a side-splitting round of laughter, the cleansing, complete sort of laughter only a mother and daughter can share.”- Karen Kingsbury
3. “Mothers and daughters together are a powerful force to be reckoned with.”- Melia Keeton-Digby 
4. “No daughter and mother ever live apart, no matter what the distance between them.”- Christie Watson
5. “The more a daughter knows the details of her mother’s life, the stronger the daughter.”- Anita Diamant, The Red Tent

 

Mum and son quotes

 

Don’t worry, there’s also plenty of mum and son quotes out there if you’re a son hoping to make your mum’s day super special! We’ve gathered some of our fave simple yet touching quotes below: 

 

1. “More than mother and son, they were accomplices in solitude.”- Gabriel Garcia Marquez 
2. “Life began with waking up and loving my mother’s face.”- George Eliot
3. “All I am I owe to my mother.”- George Washington 
4. “Happy is the son whose faith in his mother remains unchallenged.”- Louisa May Alcott
5. “Sons are the anchors of a mother’s life.”- Sophocles 

 

Funny mum quotes to make her laugh 

 

There’s nothing better than seeing your mum happy. So, if you’re hoping to inject laughter into Mother’s Day or your mum’s birthday this year, opt for one of these light-hearted, chuckle-worthy quotes. 

 

1. “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?”- Milton Berle 
2. “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.”- Nora Ephron 
3. “Motherhood: feeding them as a baby and then through most of their twenties.”- Unknown
4. “My sister said once: ‘Anything I don’t want Mother to know, I don’t even think of, if she’s in the room.”- Agatha Christie 
5. “I smile because I am your daughter, and I laugh because you can do nothing about it…”- Unknown

 

Also, why not jot down some funny mum quotes your mum says all too often! If you love this idea but need some inspiration, here’s some classic things mums say to help you get started. 

 

Funny mum quotes from thortful’s card creators

 

Naturally, our very own thortful card creators also have some smart, sharp, and snappy things to say about motherhood. If you want a quote that would be perfectly suited for a funny Mother’s Day card, then this selection may be exactly what you need:

 

1. Powered by love. Fuelled by coffee. Sustained by wine.
2. Life doesn’t come with a manual; it comes with a mother.
3. Good mums let you lick the beaters. Great mums turn them off first.
4. Nothing is lost until your mother can’t find it. 
5. Mum, without me this day wouldn’t mean much. You’re welcome. 

 

Quotes for your grandma 

 

Don’t worry, we’ve come up with more than just the best mum quotes. We’ve even got your grandma covered too! Make her feel super special with these simple yet touching quotes which sum up the grandmother-grandchild relationship perfectly: 

 

1. “Every house needs a grandmother in it.”- Louisa May Alcott
2. “Grandmothers are a gift not to be taken lightly.”- Nikita Gill 
3. “Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see you all day and now the day was complete.”- Marcy DeMaree
4. “There’s no place like home- except Grandma’s.”- Unknown 
5. “If nothing is going well, call your grandmother.”- Italian Proverb

We hope you’ve been inspired to write something truly magical in your mum’s birthday card or Mother’s Day card this year with all these quotes in hand. And for even more top tips on what to write on special occasions, like anniversary cards or Easter, you can head over to the thortful blog where we have tons more helpful ideas. Over there you’ll find options for activities, such as scrumptious Mother’s Day afternoon tea ideas, as well as fun gift ideas for dog mums (I mean how could we forget…).