Life
Mother's Day and Father's Day have passed, so mom and dad might be feeling a little underappreciated for the next few months. But National Parents' Day is coming up, and it's the perfect chance to give them a little extra love. These quotes for National Parents' Day can help you express all those warm and fuzzy feelings that can be so hard to convey.
The 25th annual National Parents' Day falls on July 28 this year, acting as a day to celebrate all that parents do for their children. But the day isn't exclusively for "traditional" moms and dads, as the more inclusive "Parents' Day" title serves everyone who raises a child. Stepparents can play a huge role in your life; some consider their grandparents their parents; and others are raised by aunts and uncles. A parent is the person who cares for you and shows you how to be a person in the world, and no matter who plays that role in your life, they deserve to be honored every day. (But that's at tall order, so National Parents' Day will have to do.)
These quotes can help you celebrate your parents, whether you copy them into an Instagram post or use them in a card. Either way, your day one's will feel the love for sure.
1
"We never know the love of a parent 'till we become parents ourselves" — Henry Ward Beecher
You may think you understand your parents love for you throughout your life, but it takes on a whole new meaning once you have your own kids. As you look at the tiny life you're responsible for, you suddenly understand the way you make your parent's world spin. Your kids truly add a new dimension to your relationship with your parents, so the quote is perfect.
2
"Love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves it's own mark. To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever." — J.K. Rowling
Dumbledore's message to Harry Potter in The Sorcerer's Stone hits home for anyone who has lost a parent. The love they had for you and lessons they gave you while you had them earth-side don't disappear when they're no longer physically gone, and Rowling's words are the perfect tribute for the person you miss so much.
3
"First your parents, they give you your life, but then they try to give you their life." — Chuck Palahniuk
Raising you (or any kid) wasn't easy, and your parents definitely had to make sacrifices on your behalf more than once. This quote will let them know you appreciate everything they did.
4
"They're your parents. They're meant to love you because. Never in spite." — Patrick Ness
A parent's love is one of the most unconditional loves that exists; they've seen you at your best, worst, and everything in between, and they still think you hung the moon. And your "flaws" are just other reasons they think you're the best.
5
"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother." — Abraham Lincoln
Your parents quite literally shape you into the person you are, so everything you do, for better or worse, goes back to them. President Lincoln said it best, so borrowing his words for National Parent's Day is a good choice.
6
"A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow." — Unknown
No matter what you accomplish, he's still your number one guy. This quote would be particularly sweet if you paired it with a then and now photo collection of you with your dad as a kid and you with him now.
7
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." — Elizabeth Stone
Giving your parents a thank you for deciding to bring you into the world might feel funny, but they'll appreciate it. And you'll especially relate to these words if you have your own children. It's an impossible love, and telling your parents you see them will make them feel so special.
8
"Lookin' back all I can say about all the things he did for me is I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be." — Brad Paisley
Paisley's "He Didn't Have To Be" is the ultimate tearjerker for anyone with a stepdad or non-traditional parent, and the lyrics are the perfect way to honor the person who wasn't a guarantee in your life but has made all the difference. Maybe keep the tissues close as you write it.
9
"By the time I realized my parents were right, I had kids that didn’t believe me." — Hussein Nishah
This quote is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy, capturing the highs and lows of parenthood in one easy sentence. And telling your parents "you were right" is the best gift you could possibly give them for National Parents' Day.
10
"The best part about being friends with your parents is that no matter what you do, they have to keep loving you." — Natalie Portman
That unconditional love is hard to come by outside of familial relationships, and it becomes even more important if you consider your parents your friends, too. Portman's words are a great way to remind them that you're grateful to have them in your life.
11
"The love a parent has for a child, there's nothing else like it. No other love so consuming." — Cassandra Clare
This is another great quote if you're a new parent yourself, as it gives words to the new feelings you have for your parents since you had a baby of your own. And even though you're supposed to be the one calling the shots now, the words can show your parents you still need them for guidance.
12
"Parents aren't the people you come from. They're the people you want to be when you grow up." — Jodi Picoult
Picoult's words reiterate that it isn't just parent status that makes you love the people who raised you. It's the people they are in the world and the actions they take every day. They were your first heroes, and they always will be.
13
"I became the kind of parent my mother was to me." — Maya Angelou
This quote will make your mom's heart burst, as it encompasses both your love for her and your appreciation for the way she parented you.
14
"My parents are my backbone." — Kobe Bryant
Sweet and simple, Bryant's words get to the heart of why your parents are so important. They shape you, keep you grounded, and support you in all that you do. There's no one like them.
