Meaningful Quotes About Dads and Fatherhood for Father’s Day – Holidappy

Maddie is a freelance writer and is certified in massage, aromatherapy, and health education.

This Father’s Day, consider including one of these poignant quotations about dads and fatherhood in your card or note.

NeONBRAND via Unsplash; Canva.com

Why Include a Quote in a Father’s Day Card?

Father’s Day is an important occasion for many of us. While not everyone is fortunate enough to have a loving father in their life, many of us have some sort of fatherly role model we look to for guidance and paternal care.

If you’d like to show your appreciation by sending your dad, step-dad, grand-dad, or fatherly role model a note or card, including a thoughtful or funny quote can be a great way to end your message. While your original words are likely to be what the recipient will cherish most, a relevant quote can add clarity and purpose to your greeting.

Read over the quotes below for inspiration, and feel free to include one in your Father’s Day card or letter if it strikes a chord with you and reinforces your message.

Quotes About Fathers

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” —Ruth E. Renkel
“It is much easier to become a father than to be one.” —Kent Nerburn
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” —Mark Twain
“Father!—to God himself we cannot give a holier name.” —William Wordsworth
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me.” —Jim Valvano
“What a father says to his children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard for posterity.” —Jean Paul Richter
“Father taught us that opportunity and responsibility go hand in hand. I think we all act on that principle; on the basic human impulse that makes a man want to make the best of what’s in him and what’s been given him.” —Laurence Rockefeller

“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” —George Herbert

Conner Baker via Unsplash; Canva

“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” —George Herbert
“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” —Clarence Budington Kelland
“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” —Sigmund Freud
“My father always told me, ‘Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.'” —Jim Fox
“If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right.” —Bill Cosby
“A man’s worth is measured by how he parents his children. What he gives them, what he keeps away from them, the lessons he teaches and the lessons he allows them to learn on their own.” —Lisa Rogers
“You don’t have to deserve your mother’s love. You have to deserve your father’s. He’s more particular.” —Robert Frost
“It is easy for a father to have children than for children to have a real father.” —Pope John XXIII
“Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.” —Reed Markham
“That is the thankless position of the father in the family—the provider for all, and the enemy of all.” —August Strindberg
“The fundamental defect of fathers is that they want their children to be a credit to them.” —Bertrand Russell
“The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.” —Tim Russert
“Dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn’t teach me everything he knows.” —Al Unser, Jr.

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” —William Shakespeare

Alvaro Reyes via Unsplash; Canva

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” —William Shakespeare
“A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.” —Enid Bagnold
“Why are men reluctant to become fathers? They aren’t through being children.” —Cindy Garner
“By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” —Charles Wadsworth
“Every dad, if he takes time out of his busy life to reflect upon his fatherhood, can learn ways to become an even better dad.” —Jack Baker
“The father is always a Republican toward his son, and his mother’s always a Democrat.” —Robert Frost
“Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.” —Robert Orben

“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” —Johann Schiller

Jed Owen via Unsplash; Canva

“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” —Johann Schiller
“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.” —Anne Sexton
“A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be.” —Frank A. Clark
“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” —Rev. Theodore Hesburgh
“Love and fear. Everything the father of a family says must inspire one or the other.” —Joseph Joubert
“Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.” —Gloria Naylor
“At a time of reproductive freedom for women, fatherhood must be more than a matter of DNA. A man must choose to be a father in the same way that a woman chooses to be a mother.” —Mel Feit
“A man knows he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.” —Gabriel Garcia Marquez
“To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to have a simple livelihood; this is the greatest blessing.” —Buddha“The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, ‘Daddy, I need to ask you something,’ he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.” —Garrison Keillor

A Black and White Still of a Father and Child

amoy on May 21, 2014:

bein a dad is ok but bein a father is learnin how to say NO but I LOVE U

Freckled Girl on September 28, 2013:

My father gave me up when i was only 1. Now that i’m 16 he wants everything to do with me, But he only calls when needed too. He ignores me and lies to me and all i can think of is.. A real father isn’t him.. :/

naina on July 18, 2013:

My father is my life my every thing i cant live wid out him i love my dad alots he r the most precious gift 4 me

MAY GOD BLESS MY FATHER AND GAVE HIM A LONG LIFE .I LOVE U DAD

imhisprincess on June 02, 2013:

I Dont Wat Shud I Say.. I love My father Im A Daddy’s Girl But until now I Cant Believe My Father Cheated to my mom. It is so hard to See Your mom crying and want to give up. I Love my father But Now i love More My Mama. Im Mad With You Dad!! I Hate You! Please Come Back! Please Fix our Family. 🙁

Dhivya Ganesan on May 15, 2013:

My father is most precious gift I got in my life.I love my father toooooo much.I proud to put my fathers name at. the back of my name.there were no words with me to appreciate my father.

firsttimedaddy on May 14, 2013:

We all want to do the best for our children.

I have no money, but being a dad makes me the richest guy in the world

http://www.1st-time-daddy.com

Jen Granger from NY on March 07, 2013:

Sending this over to my dad…

Jen Granger from NY on February 18, 2013:

Im touched… I think this quote says it all.

“Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards. ~Robert Orben”

Good going for putting these together, very very nice..

Miss no one on June 16, 2012:

I love my dad bec. He’s everything to me he is the perfect dad ive ever had I’m grateful and bless bec. I met him as my father . .

Love you father bec. Without him your not here you where never born in this planet. Be grateful and thankful enough to him even if he causes you pain as much as you hate him or you don’t want to see her ever again he is your father no matter what,,

Sofia on June 15, 2012:

As a child I had the best dad in the world. But he made a mistake my dad left me and my 6 sisters and 1 brother. At the age of 10 years old I couldn’t understand why he ran from his responsibility . My dad died 2 years ago, he left once and he left me twice and I didn’t get a chance to say I forgive you, for not being my Dad. RIP Alfonso Davila may God forgive you for your sin’s

m. Debeniditto on May 23, 2012:

My real father was a crazy lazy alcoholic. I had to take care of him and my drug addicted mother. I am only thirteen and have been adopted bby some wonderful people. Sometimes i wish that they were my biological family. sure we all might fight but we still are a fanmily my real dad just chugged another bottle of vodka. i never have had a dad to look up to. But the foster dad that i now have is the best. He knows how make me laugh, cry and cheer me up. My dad will always be there for me. i almost cried while i was reding the quotes. My parents also helped me meet my current boyfreind!

sulekha on April 20, 2012:

my ad is awesome..luv him..now i am going away from him for my higher studies…i ll miss him…luv u dad..

lilet on March 30, 2012:

i am a graduating student and i hate to say that my father died last march 14, when i think about my upcoming graduation day(April 2) i can’t stop the tears falling from my eyes. i really love him even though we haven’t got much time to talk everyday. i miss him so much. he is our greatest hero.

dionbondiovi on March 17, 2012:

A real Father are those who became a good son to their Father…

Maddie Ruud (author) from Oakland, CA on March 13, 2012:

Good questions, Kristie. Not all fathers are our biological fathers, and not all fathers are what we wish they’ be.

kristie on March 12, 2012:

fathers are very important but sometimes mothers choose our fathers after we are here… is that ok?…i do not remember my father and he is a distant memory to my mother…but is now a part of my life…is that ok?…my mother has chosen 2 more fathers for me…is that ok?…my second father instilled fear and love in me…but mostly fear…is that ok?…when he passed away i cried…but my sister/his daughter did not…is that ok?…my third father instilled security and hatred in me… is that ok?…now it is respect, admiration, gratitude and love of a sort…is that ok?

shaniaa brown on March 03, 2012:

My father Is always there when I need him the most.

bella on February 28, 2012:

i haven’t meet or known my biological father but still i want to know him…

irvan wargadipura on January 28, 2012:

i love my dad….he’s a real role model for me..

now that i have a baby boy…

the more i realize the unconditional love he gave me..

raise me till become the way i am now..

we share our tears of joy together upon my baby boy’s birth in the hospital tough..

back when i was a kid, he never really shown he’s love openly, he taught me in a hard way and full of discipline..

but now i realize that all things he taught me are the things that keeps me going…being a man!

being a man you should think and see everything 100 times ahead..

being a husband you should think and sees everything 1000 times ahead…

being a father you should think and sees everything 10000 times ahead..

riya vyas on January 21, 2012:

father is father no one came in the place of my father. i love him very much.i never want to lost him.he is the world best father .

Jordan on January 21, 2012:

My father and i’s birthdays are very close and i am about to turn 14. He will be 42. I adore him and even if it sounds cliché, he is my hero!

Alex on January 20, 2012:

My father was the best man in my life recently hes been distant and left me. I dont know what made him do it but holding back the anger and resent is hard he mad it seem like my fault i try t remember him for what he was but all i can remember is the last thing i saw of him i love him death and im not an emotional person but i hate that hes the only thing that can brong tears to my eyes

Jon’s Dad on January 18, 2012:

There is only one person that makes me genuinely happy that he is so much better than me

Charles on January 17, 2012:

I am a father of 11 years. I hated my dad for most of my childhood. Then I grew up and realized the man had 30 years on this earth on me. I knew he loved me but why was he always so hard, indifferent, always gone at work and focused on everything negative about me. Then I realized he had one of those horrible fathers like some of the ones mentioned here. I took it upon myself to give him the love and respect a father NEEDS from his child. I stopped being the bitter, resentful and rebellious son. Stopped talking back at and bad about him. This was a man who intolerantly beat me over spilled milk or broken toys. A few months later I can hardly recognize the man. He is not only the excellent father I knew he was inside; loving, caring, proactive, positive and gentle, but he has turned into the ideal husband to my mother. No hard feelings anymore, just a few scars and the best friend I’ve ever had. Break the cycle. Regardless. No excuses… Just break it! God bless everyone! 🙂

hate u on January 01, 2012:

i hate my dad really jealous of those ppl who ve got good dads.my dad is a cheat………….

Sierra. silva on December 25, 2011:

idc wat pol say offensive or touchy!! they are good quotes and they get inspire the dads to get up in the morning! luv them

vaishnavi devre on December 24, 2011:

What a aussssm quotess…!! m abt too cry aftr rdng d commnts… m really proud to hv ma dad vd mee…love u daddy….

jb on December 11, 2011:

my dad was all this and more taken from us at 56 cancer 1 devoted wife two sons and three grandchildren wish for just one more minute with such a man and i pray i will be half the man

we love you dad

Chanel B on December 08, 2011:

I’m sad for my children because they don’t have a good father!!! My heart is melted when my daughter told me that her dad is not proud of her… I’m so envious to all children had a good daddy;D

sara on December 07, 2011:

i really liked it =]

Shujrah on December 03, 2011:

Father Is My heart and my everything .

Santie Stocks on November 23, 2011:

Thanks a lot!!! All I wanted was a gift idea for my dad, now I am in tears from reading everybody’s comments…..

hate u on November 13, 2011:

my god y on earth did i alone get such a worst father:(i envy all the ppl who ve riten so gud abt their dads.but i m so unlucky regarding this thng.lov my mom and mom only………

Prajakta on November 11, 2011:

I love u dad.

Rnold lang on November 06, 2011:

Thanks a lot, it do really inspires me…

brianna:) on November 01, 2011:

my dad is exactly like these quotes! i am soo happy to have you in my life:) love you daddy!!

Khan on October 24, 2011:

My father is in prison for something he didn’t do. It’s been 8 months and I miss him so much. He’s the best man I know. He’s my role model, my ispiration. He’s everything to me and I love him. These quotes just brought tears in my eyes..

PONG on October 24, 2011:

I already missed my father… He died last Oct.22, 2011

JohnnyBoots on October 17, 2011:

Great selection, I’m laughing and about crying.

Any good father is deserving of these quotes, unfortunately too many men think they “need” to have children rather than “want” to have children.

dimple bachchan on October 10, 2011:

very nice collection,that’s collections r very useful 2 me.thank u so much

hate my dad on October 06, 2011:

i hate my he is a cheat he dosent deserve even a single word of these quotes hate him

sulekha razack on October 02, 2011:

i love my dad i sometimes hurt him a lot i feel very guilty about it later .after reading these quotes i promise i ll neva rpeat it again .my dad the bestest according 2 me .love u dad 🙂 :]

Vivian on September 21, 2011:

My father is dying. He wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t always there, and there’s loads of things he could have done differently. Having said that, he is my daddy and I’m going to miss him so much. The quote that hits me is…

It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was. ~Anne Sexton

I think this just sums it all up. I love you daddy and I wish so many things had been different, but those things don’t change how I feel about you or that I will miss you very much.

james uzua on September 09, 2011:

i stumble into these collection at the time i have some heartaching problems with my dad and this quote in particular resolved the issue.The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. ~Rev. Theodore Hesburgh.thanks for this

abid ayoub on September 02, 2011:

lovly quotes about fathers i jus love dem…………………………

elai chan on June 20, 2011:

my father is a genius. he can read my mind

Sri on June 19, 2011:

It amazes me that I had a father who lived up to each and every one of these quotes, but in this day and age its rare to see that now. Living proof dealing with a lot from my oldest kids fathers. My husband is an amazing father!!!!

Anna on May 22, 2011:

Its very touching considering my dad left my sisters and me about 4 years ago for another women…It really hurts because as much as it hurts what he did, I still miss him very much hoping he will come back.

faithfullyours19 on April 15, 2011:

At first a touchy subject because my dad wasn’t around not by any fault of his own he didn’t know who I was. But I had replacements and its true it takes DNA to be a father but it takes a whole lot more to be a dad. Optimistic quotes aren’t a bad thing they should remind you men what you have to live up to. MY home life was never good and women tend to look for men like their father or father figure so I love that these quotes are here. Being a real father is something to look up to and children deserve someone that loves them like only a father can.

Ariel L. on January 26, 2011:

my daddy means more than i realized. its sad that it took his illness to see that…no, he’s not my father. but he raised me when my father couldn’t, he took me as his own daughter. and i know in my heart of hearts that if my father were alive, he would be proud of the man that raised his little girl.

panneer selvam on January 21, 2011:

children are poor farther’s wealth, this can be also added. all nice quotes.

Naeem Sharif on December 03, 2010:

If only i could see more of my lil angel. To tell her every day that i love her so dearly.

altealim on October 26, 2010:

..i miss my dad.,

Sunita Maharjan on October 19, 2010:

Simply the Best !!!

Trusted Marketing from Charlotte, North Carolina on October 04, 2010:

Excellent, simple and profound. Thank you for the wisdom and light moments.

laika lane on September 04, 2010:

wonder ful!

WLWC from Arkansas on August 23, 2010:

Great tribute to the men out there who are great dads. (I liked it so much, I linked it to one of my hubs.) I’ve always heard, “Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.” In fact, there is a cross stitch that hangs in my parents’ bedroom that proclaims it. I am proud to have a man such as this as my Dad. I couldn’t have asked for a better one. I wish everyone could say the same…

WLWC

Bu Li Lit on August 19, 2010:

i was only 4 years old when my papa passed away..i cud not clearly remember everything wen he was still with us. i get late grievances sometimes. and wen i watched that vid a shared i cud not hide the tears and i burst out crying.

heres the link:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=455621345922&ref=mf

Ma. Alyza on July 10, 2010:

I really like the quotes about the father especially the- A father is the one who expects his to be as good as him

Miranda on July 06, 2010:

My father has cancer. Reading these quotes makes me want to run to him like I was a little girl again and just tell him over and over again how much I love him and how much he means to me.

LavanyaLN on July 03, 2010:

Thank you very much for these quotes.These are very nice.I advice to everyone please don’t neglect our father and mother.

Marie on June 28, 2010:

Edited version! Not=NOW… sorry.

Our parents were not perfect. Nor was I. I live with guilt and regret. It is now my job as a grandparent to impart wisdom to my son and tell him of my hindsight and imperfections and help him try to not those same mistakes. I cannot dwell on the past. I CAN learn from it and move forward a better person/parent.

Marie on June 28, 2010:

Our parents were not perfect. Nor was I. I live with guilt and regret. It is not my job as a grandparent to impart wisdom to my son and tell him of my hindsight and imperfections and help him try to not those same mistakes. I cannot dwell on the past. I CAN learn from it and move forward a better person/parent.

Pastor Blessed Chinedu Ononeze on June 19, 2010:

Fatherhood is a divine gift to sustain God’s and godly influence on the earth [LEADERSHIP]. Therefore, we must value it and give it the rightful place it deserves.

Nelson Choto on June 18, 2010:

Thank you so much for this great collection..there is a great wisdom here.

ned on June 16, 2010:

My dad has stage 7 Alzheimer’s. I miss him.

daughter on June 07, 2010:

My dad passed away a year and a half ago and i still think of him everyday. felt happy reading these quotes.

Marian Cates from Columbia River Gorge, WA on May 30, 2010:

Nice collection. thanks for sharing!

sageam on May 05, 2010:

beautiful

lois sunday from manila,philippines on April 26, 2010:

Beautiful and touching quotes! nice hub!

shanshane2 from Rochester, WA on April 24, 2010:

Great hub idea, I love it.

SJ on April 20, 2010:

Loved this! I have the best dad ever. Really great work collecting these.

cbris52 on March 02, 2010:

Hi Maddie… I really enjoyed your hub and the quote- I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection. ~Sigmund Freud… Great Hub! If you get a chance… check out a few of mine. I’m new to hubpages.

sophs on March 02, 2010:

Brilliant idea, I love these quotes! 🙂

jess on February 10, 2010:

ok…im blubbering like a big baby looking up quotes for my dads birthday card!

Jorge on February 10, 2010:

Thank you for this site!..As I go through my legal fight over my newborn child, I find this site, and it gave me strength and determination to keep this battle…I know now I am not wrong, by making my best not only to provide the money my son will need, but to be there when he will really need me!

shantae wright on January 29, 2010:

happy 2 c that sooo many people had great fathers growing up not me n i guess not my son but thank god for stepdads

binkysdaddy from Close to Home on January 11, 2010:

I loved these quotes, they mean a lot to me!

bookmarked!

johana on December 18, 2009:

This quotes are powerful words that penetrates deep in my heart. Am 22 years old. God have gave me the best gift of all…..he has blessed me with a father so loving and kind….a man who knows how to make me mad and smile at the same time….is a blessing to see how much my father loves my mom……because one day I want my fiancé to love me just as much and more….:)

Putz Ballard on November 10, 2009:

Great hub, my dad was the wisest man I ever knew, always told me it akes a lifetime to build a good name and only a few seconds to ruin it. thanks for this hub.

Mike Dennis on September 24, 2009:

Thanks for sharing the father/fatherhood quotes. You got some real good ones here.

Frank on August 04, 2009:

Re: Abby’s comment, I don’t know who said it first, but this quote has been repeated almost adnauseum, ever since. I disagree with it, to some extent. Loving our children’s mother is important, certainly, but I don’t believe it is the most important thing we can do for them. I would say it is loving them and loving and obeying God.

dennisematt on July 24, 2009:

“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.”

that one is my favorite.

Elusen from Indianapolis, IN on June 22, 2009:

As a Dad of three daughters, this is nice to read!

Abby on June 21, 2009:

You have this quoted wrong above. David O. McKay said the following quote:

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

Team Building from Bedford, Texas on June 04, 2009:

Great collection of quotes and sayings. I think so many times we take advantage of our parents and really don’t realize what they do or did for us. That is until we either unfortunately lose them or we become parents ourselves.

HealthCare Basics from San Diego, California on June 03, 2009:

My father left when I was 12 years old. Never heard from him again. I was lucky to have a wonderful grandfather who stepped in the fill in and get me through the rough years. Your article brought back thoughts of him.

trooper22 from Chicago on May 03, 2009:

My father never earned his title. For that I have learned how important it is to have a good father, and of how much I missed out on. I am not a father, nor will I ever be. I envy men that are good fathers, and have the opportunity to leave an indelible mark on posterity by raising a child responsibly.

anonymous on January 20, 2009:

when you have a second chance at having a father, these quotes mean so much more than they did before and then when you find out that you are going to lose the father you love they are words that speak for your heart when you yourself cannot.

eaglegordon on January 06, 2009:

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, ‘Daddy, I need to ask you something,’ he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan. ~Garrison Keillor

Oh how true. The pat of my little girl hands on my shoulders, was a whole lot different then my boy’s. It uh kinda melted my heart.

stanleyreese from Alabama on November 14, 2008:

I am a father who knows how lucky he really is. I have a 23 year old daughter, 21 year old son, two year old son, one year old daughter and another daughter on the way. Of all the jobs I have ever had, being a dad is the most rewarding.

Jyoti Kothari from Jaipur on October 10, 2008:

Very nice collection of quotes. It is thought provoking. Some quotes are easy and some has hidden messages.

denderatemple on August 21, 2008:

My favorite qoute is: It is not flesh and blood but the heart which make us father and son.

John Juneau from Sierra Nevadas on August 20, 2008:

Thanks Maddie.

May I be so bold as to add a quote of my own? I take an early morning walk most days, and one morning seeing the length of my own shadow, I realized that this was a picture of the effects a father has on his children. So my quote is simply:

A father casts a long shadow.

rmr from Livonia, MI on June 16, 2008:

Thanks. As my kids grow older, I have gone from heroic fixer of bikes, and baiter of hooks, to knower of nothing. It’s good to know I’m not as clueless as my two teens seem to think.

mulder from Warnbro Western Australia on June 15, 2008:

This is a beautiful hub as a father myself this quotes are great .

Agro Donkey from Ohio on June 14, 2008:

My father gave me a great example as to how not to be a father. I cherish everyday that I get to spend watching my daughter grow. I take pride in her success’ and in her failures. I am touched deeply by your hub and hope that many others take the time to read it.

Meaningful Quotes About Dads and Fatherhood for Father’s Day – Holidappy

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