94 Quotes About Being a Mom In Every Season of Motherhood

Do you need some encouragement, Mama Friend? Or maybe you just feel like laughing at some funny mom quotes. Regardless of how many sweet baby smiles light up your world, or how many tears you cry from feeling completely overwhelmed, and no matter how many sleepless nights you survive – they are all worthy of celebrating and eventually they all pass.

Being a mom is hard in every season, but sometimes all we need is a reassuring word of truth and comfort or a really good laugh. From feeling overwhelmed, unfulfilled and alone, and the joy in the midst of it all, here are 43 quotes about being a mom that you can relate to – for each season that Motherhood brings you!

Quotes for Moms: 94 Quotes to Encourage and Entertain Moms in Every Season of Motherhood

When You Need to Be Reminded of the Many Truths About Motherhood

Sometimes in the midst of everything mundane – dirty diapers, dirty dishes, dirty clothes, cooking, grocery shopping, playing, and teaching – we forget about the many truths that is found in motherhood.

So, if you feel like you’re just going through the motions and constantly spinning your wheels, just slow down and take a moment to read these mom truths.

1. “Having children just puts the whole world into perspective. Everything else just disappears.” – Kate Winslet

2. “The phrase ‘working mother’ is redundant.” – Jane Sellman

3. “Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation.” – Robert A. Heinlein

4. “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” – James Baldwin

5. “Kids are not going to do what you tell them to do or think like you tell them to think. Kids are watching how you deal with that waiter or that handyman, and they are probably more likely to imitate you.” – Jerry Seinfeld

6. “There are times as a parent when you realize that your job is not to be the parent you always imagined you’d be, the parent you always wished you had. Your job is to be the parent your child needs, given the particulars of his or her own life and nature.” – Ayelet Waldman

7. “It’s not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can’t tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.” – Joyce Maynard

8. “Some are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.” – Pearl S. Buck

9. “[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

10. “Having kids—the responsibility of rearing good, kind, ethical, responsible human beings—is the biggest job anyone can embark on.” – Maria Shriver

11. “You’re always going to wonder if you’re doing things wrong, but that’s what it means to be a mom, to care so much about someone else that you just want to be as perfect as possible.” – Naya Rivera

12. “The moment he wakes up from a nap.… Just a gummy mouth, no teeth, just a big smile, happy that you’re alive and you’re just looking at him. That’s probably the most magical.” – Jessica Biel

13. “I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.” – Oprah Winfrey

14. “Mothers and their children are in a category all their own. There’s no bond so strong in the entire world. No love so instantaneous and forgiving.” – Gail Tsukiyama

When Being a Mom is Overwhelming

Of all the things that motherhood is, one thing is certain — it’s overwhelming. Sometimes it’s overwhelmingly joyful and beautiful, and other times it’s so overwhelming you cry on the toilet and wonder what your life would look like if you hadn’t become a mom.

I’ve been there, and I’ll be there again. We all go through it, my dear. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: being a mom is hard.

Overcome the overwhelm with these inspiring and dead-on quotes for overwhelmed moms.

15. “To be a mother you must be strong. Even if you don’t feel it, you have to pretend.” – Sade Adu

16. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn

17. “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.” – Maya Angelou

18. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

19. “To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.” – Jill Bolte Taylor

20. “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum

21. “I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You go through big chunks of time where you’re just thinking, ‘This is impossible — oh, this is impossible.’ And then you just keep going and keep going, and you sort of do the impossible.” – Tina Fey

22. “Motherhood is the greatest thing and the hardest thing.” – Ricki Lake

23. “Whatever you do, do with determination. You have one life to live; do your work with passion and give your best. Whether you want to be a chef, doctor, actor, or a mother, be passionate to get the best result.” – Alia Bhatt

24. “It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. 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

25. “Failing and laughing at your own shortcomings are the hallmarks of a sane parent.” – Jim Gaffigan

26. “Mothers and children are human beings, and they will sometimes do the wrong thing.” – Maurice Sendak

27. “To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle, I say, ‘Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are.’” – Jeffrey R. Holland

28. “Before becoming a mother I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: love them, especially when they least deserve to be loved.” – Kate Samperi

29. “Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.” -Barbara Kingsolver

30. “She raised us with humor, and she raised us to understand that not everything was going to be great–but how to laugh through it.” – Liza Minnelli

31. “We have a secret in our culture, and it’s not that birth is painful. It’s that women are strong.” – Laura Stavoe Harm

When You Don’t Know Who You Are Outside of Motherhood

It is so easy to lose yourself and your own identity when you’re a mom. No matter how old you or your children are, if you’re a seasoned or a first-time Mom, if they’re yours biologically or not, or if you have cared for kids and babies before – it’s a struggle that most (if not all) moms face at one time or another.

I can’t stress this enough: you need to take care of yourself.

There is no quicker way to burn out as a mother, spouse, homemaker, or as a person in general than to not put yourself as a top priority and find a way to grow your own identity outside of motherhood. You can’t fill from an empty cup, Momma Friend.

32. “Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of your kids.” – Unknown

33. “My daughter introduced me to myself.” – Beyoncé Knowles

34. “Everything has changed, and yet, I’m more me than I’ve ever been.” – Iain Thomas

35. “When I get up and work out, I’m working out just as much for my girls as I am for me, because I want them to see a mother who loves them dearly, who invests in them, but who also invests in herself. It’s just as much about letting them know as young women that it is okay to put yourself a little higher on your priority list.” ― Michelle Obama

36. “You make sacrifices to become a mother, but you really find yourself and your soul.” – Mariska Hargitay

37. “No more martyring myself.” – Sharon E. Rainey

38. “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen

39. “Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia

40. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” — Gautama Buddha

41. “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen

42. “Whatever you are doing, love yourself for doing it. Whatever you are feeling, love yourself for feeling it.” – Thaddeus Golas

43. “You can’t take care of anyone else unless you first take care of yourself.” – Michael Hyatt

44. “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” – Benjamin Franklin

45. “It’s good to do uncomfortable things. It’s weight training for life.” – Anne LaMott

46. “Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”– Lucille Ball

47. “An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” – Unknown

48. “Acknowledge, accept, and honor that you deserve your own deepest compassion and love.” – Nanette Mathews

49. “Do something every day that is loving toward your body and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sensations of your body.” – Golda Poretsky

50. “Take time to do what makes your soul happy.” – Unknown

51. “How do you define ‘taking care of yourself? Create a new self-care practice today. Observe your comfort level when it comes to being good to yourself. Discomfort is a wise teacher.” – Caroline Myss and Peter Occhiogrosso

52. “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” – Unknown

53. “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

54. “When we self-regulate well, we are better able to control the trajectory of our emotional lives and resulting actions based on our values and sense of purpose.” – Amy Leigh Mercree

55. “Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day

56. “Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer

57. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” – Jack Kornfield

58. “People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness, and inclusiveness.” – Sanaya Roman

59. “Self-love is asking yourself what you need – every day – and then making sure you receive it.” – Unknown

60. “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” – Anna Taylor

61. “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown

62. “You are a VIP, a very important person so take care with self-care. If not you, who? If not now, when?” – Toni Hawkins

63. “Do something every day that is loving towards your body and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sensations of your body.” – Golda Poretsky

64. “You are in a much better position to serve others when your basic needs are met and your “tank is full”. – Michael Hyatt

65. “Being extremely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” – Sigmund Freud

66. “Self‐compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer

67. “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley

When You Doubt Yourself As a Mom

Are you ever just completely afraid to totally screw up your kid, or is it just me? It doesn’t matter how many compliments we get from our family or friends or even strangers, there’s just a lingering thought in the back of our minds saying, “Hey, what if I really don’t know what I’m doing after all?”

I’d like to just shut that voice up.

Just like Mom Guilt plagues us, so does the doubt and fear that we are doing this whole motherhood thing wrong. But, I’m going to guess you’re doing just fine, Momma.

Still, these quotes about doubting yourself as a mom come in handy when that voice creeps up again.

68. “Motherhood is a choice you make every day, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own. To teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing, even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…And to forgive yourself over and over again for doing everything wrong.” Donna Ball

69. “My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis.” – Drew Barrymore

70. “If you’re a mom, you’re a superhero. Period.” – Rosie Pope

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

72. “When you’re in the thick of raising your kids by yourself, you tend to keep a running list of everything you think you’re doing wrong. I recommend taking a lot of family pictures as evidence to the contrary.” – Connie Schultz

73. “To the world you are a Mother, but to your family, you are the World.” – Unknown

74. “Kids don’t stay with you if you do it right. It’s the one job where the better you are, the more surely you won’t be needed in the long run.” – Barbara Kingsolver

75. “Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are a perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.” – Saint Frances de Sales

76. “I only do what my gut tells me to. I think it’s smart to listen to other people’s advice, but at the end of the day, you’re the only one who can tell you what’s right for you.” – Jennifer Lopez

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

78. “Memories will last. A clean house won’t.” – Unknown

When You Need Reassurance That Other Moms (and Dads) Can Relate

Few things are as comforting as another parent who understands what you’re going through. With all the seemingly perfect families that show up on our Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter feed, it can be really easy to feel like you’re alone in the parenting struggle.

But you’re not alone.

And I’m going to let you in on a little tip: pretty much no parent has all their crap together, and they don’t always know what they’re doing, either. Isn’t that comforting?

Here are some quotes from parents who understand what parenting really is – both equally hard and beautiful.

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

80. “Every night before I get my one hour of sleep, I have the same thought: ‘Well, that’s a wrap on another day of acting like I know what I’m doing.’ I wish I were exaggerating, but I’m not. Most of the time, I feel entirely unqualified to be a parent. I call these times being awake.” – Jim Gaffigan

81. “I love our daughters more than anything in the world ― more than life itself. And while that may not be the first thing that some folks want to hear from an Ivy-League-educated lawyer, it is truly who I am. So for me, being mom-in-chief is, and always will be, job number one.” – Michelle Obama

82. “I came to parenting the way most of us do ― knowing nothing and trying to learn everything.” – Mayim Bialik

83. “My children are the reason I laugh, smile and want to get up every morning.” – Gena Lee Nolin

84. “I’m a mother with two small children, so I don’t take as much crap as I used to.” – Pamela Anderson

When You Need a Laugh

You know what they say; “laughter is the best medicine.” And I can’t say that I disagree! With all the stress and long lists of to-do’s, it’s important to just breathe and relax and laugh.

Some of these funny quotes about being a mom are cliche and I’m sure you’ve seen them on your Facebook or Instagram feed more than a few times, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not worth sharing here!

Go ahead, laugh a little!

85. “Becoming a mother makes you realize you can do almost anything one-handed.” – Unknown

86. “May your coffee be stronger than your toddler.” – Unknown

87. “Everybody wants to save the Earth; nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes.” – P.J. O’Rourke

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

89. “If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way mom told you to in the beginning.” – Unknown

90. “You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” – Franklin P. Jones

91. “When your mother asks, “Do you want a piece of advice?” it’s a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.” – Erma Bombeck

92. “Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.” – Sam Levenson

93. “The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” – Calvin Trillin

94. “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” – Phyllis Diller

The Gist

There you have it — 94different quotes about being a mom.

These are great for pretty much every season and struggle of Motherhood from complete overwhelm, to fear of screwing up our kids, to feeling alone and unfulfilled, and to needing a little chuckle in the midst of the chaos.

If there were any that popped out at you, write them down on a sticky note or index card and carry it with you or tape it to your dresser, fridge, or bathroom mirror — wherever you’ll see it the most.

They would be great to write down as a weekly or monthly reminder in your planner or journals, if you’re into that kind of thing.

If you didn’t have time to read through all of them though, here’s the gist:

• you may feel completely overwhelmed but it won’t last and you CAN overcome the stresses of motherhood,
• you’re doing a GREAT job and no parent knows what they’re doing 100% of the time,
• you need to grow your own identity outside of motherhood and it’s not something that you should feel guilty about,
• there are so many parents who have gone (or still going) through what you’re going through and can relate, and
• when in doubt… just take a step back and laugh at the chaos!

You’ve got this, Momma Friend!