In honor of all mothers and in celebration of Mother’s Day, ATG shares below a sampling of words used to describe mothers and motherly advice or wisdom recalled by daughters and sons in their very own words.
Laura O. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Patient
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Make it a great day!”
My mother said this to us before we went to school every day growing up, and now she sends me a text in the mornings, “MIAGD!” for short.
Michelle O. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Resilient
The one phrase that has left an impression:
My mom has given me lots of good advice, but one of my favorites is,
“Go get a shower. You’ll feel better.”
It’s so simple, but I’ve always found it to be true. Doesn’t even have to be a long shower – just 5 minutes under the water is enough to clear your head.
Jessica L. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Selfless
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Don’t give up just because it’s hard!”
Ida L. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Concerned
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“If you fail, always try again. Everything will always work itself out. “
Julia says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Tenacious
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Speak up. Take some deep breaths if you have to. You’re not going to barf. You’re louder than you think you are.”
Brittany V. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Inspirational
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Tomorrow is always a new day.”
Whenever things get a little clouded, or just aren’t going the way they should, she always reminds me to breath because tomorrow is a new day, and everything will be okay.
Glee C. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Nurturing (and entertaining)
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“If it’s homemade, it’s healthy.”
Garrett P. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Selfless
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“No matter who you are with or where you’re at in life, never be someone that you’re not…ALWAYS just be yourself.”
Steph D. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Strong
The one phrase that has left an impression:
I will never forget when she said this to me:
“Anytime you do something wrong, God will tell me”
(this is when I got busted for drinking beer in high school – and to this day, I still don’t know how she found out!)
Abby L. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Honest
The one phrase that has left an impression:
My mom always taught me to be authentic and true.
Being a genuine human being and speaking the truth is something she still makes sure we have ringing in our minds to this day!
Sarah F. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Selfless
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Listen to your body and trust your gut.” She would always tell me, “You know when something isn’t right.”
And to this day, it is so true.
Kasey H. says:
The one word I think of when I think of my mother is:
Proud
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“You should never need a man, but you can want one.”
It’s a good lesson because, as a single mama, she has showed that she can do a lot without a man and can even take on male dominated parts of life, proving herself competent in them.
Sisters Madeline & Sarah M. say:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Strong
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Rise above it.”
Meaning that whatever comes your way that might be negative, always be the bigger person and rise above it. We like it because you shouldn’t carry a grudge or something negative around when you have so many new life journeys ahead of you.
Hannah H. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Grace
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Follow the Lord, learn to forgive and take an interest in others”
Katherine G. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Pioneer
(which is funny because her idea of camping is going to a cabin in the woods with electricity and running water. But, she has certainly forged her way in a legal career that has opened doors for other women to do the same).
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“You come from a strong line of women”
(and then she makes reference to my great-grandmother leaving her family and coming over from Ireland and my grandmother leaving the city, getting on a train to become a librarian in a small town and then raising 5 children. It often makes training for 100 mile mountain bike races seem trivial!)
Madeline H. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Independent
The one phrase that has left an impression:
She has always emphasized how important it is to be able to take care of yourself and not rely on others, especially a man.
Emily S. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Hilarious
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Keep your options open by making sure you’re always at least vaguely interested in five guys (minimum) at once.”
I hate to invoke a cliché, but my mom really is one of my best friends. We’re well past the turbulent teenage years, but she is still waiting for my rebellious phase to kick in because we just sort of always got along. Maybe because, as she often says, “I’m very sorry about it, but it turns out we’re the same person.”
Parker R. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Loving
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Your family is the most important part of your life.”
Christina K. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Energizer-bunny
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Those who are granted much are expected much.”
Kassidy T. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Perceptive
The one phrase that has left an impression:
Her best advice, which was instilled in my brother and I through her example, is to treat all people with kindness and consideration (especially those who are the most challenging, because they may need it most). Also, “everything’s fine in moderation”— she’s an aerobics instructor so she preaches the importance of healthy habits, but health doesn’t mean completely sacrificing chocolate or cocktails!
Casey B. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Strong
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Loving someone means you take the good with the bad…but it’s also important to know when the bad is outweighing the good in someone.”
I think this is the advice that I’ve come back to over and over again as an adult throughout relationship struggles…I’ve had to learn how to accept other people’s flaws as part of them and knowing that – that nobody’s perfect, but that I can love them anyways – is probably the best advice I’ve gotten as an adult. My mom is the person who’s been there helping me along every step of the way, learning forgiveness and acceptance, while at the same time being the first person to say “he’s not giving you the respect you deserve, it’s time to walk away from that.”
Chris S. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Tireless
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“Always work hard”
Doug R. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Giver. My mom is the ultimate giver.
Kendell J. says:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Resilient.
My mom is the strongest lady I know! (ATG note: Her strength has clearly been passed on to Kendell, who recently opened an immigration law firm in Boston, MA: Johnson & Fyten Law Offices, LLP).
Anonymous:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Giving (and supportive)
The one phrase that has left an impression:
“The more people you know, the better off you are in life.”
Anonymous:
The one word I would use to describe my mother is:
Crazy
The one phrase that has left an impression: