There are countless quotes about fatherhood, but this article draws on the thoughts of some notable fathers and their insights into what it means to be a good dad.
There are many short fatherhood quotes that can be found on the internet. These quotes are great for sharing with friends and family members.
Fathers are often overlooked.
For one thing, we always make a bigger deal about Mom on Mother’s Day than we do about Dad on Father’s Day.
Dads are like a constant but less sentimentalized institution — the sun in our family sky that warms and provides life but isn’t often talked about till he disappears.
While a father’s nurturing may often take the form of playful roughhousing and silly jokes, his influence is quite serious and significant: the presence of a loving father greatly increases a child’s chances of success, confidence and resilience, physical and mental well-being, and, of course, their sense of humor.
One example of how we take dads for granted is that there are much more quotations about Mom than there are about dear old Dad (and even fewer about fathers and daughters). To make those amazing nuggets of wisdom more accessible, we searched far and deep for the greatest and compiled this ultimate collection of dad quotes. These short quotations are excellent prompts for reflection; we’re usually so focused on getting things done that we don’t take the time to look up and get a “birds-eye” perspective on things — pondering what our own fathers meant to us, and how we’re shaping, and should be savoring, our children right now.
About Fatherhood Quotes
“You don’t raise heroes; you raise sons,” says the narrator. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll grow up to be heroes, even if just in your eyes.” –Sr. Walter M. Schirra
“Some fathers compare the approaching birth of a child to the start of a long trip.” Marcus Jacob Goldman (Marcus Jacob Goldman)
“A parent is the equivalent of a hundred schoolmasters.” –Henry George
“Sherman made the terrible discovery that all men make about their fathers sooner or later… that the man before him was a boy, a boy very much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps, love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and –The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe
“The greatest method to teach the young is to train oneself at the same time; not by admonishing them, but by never being seen doing what you would reprimand them for.” –Plato
“The essence of imminent parenthood is that you’re doing something for which you’re unqualified, and then you learn how to do it.” –Green, John
“Loving his children’s mother is one of the most important things a father can do for them.” Howard W. Hunter is a writer and philanthropist.
“Nothing is more precious to an aging parent than a daughter.” –Euripides
“If there is any immortality among us human beings, it can only be found in the love we leave behind.” My father is one of those rare fathers who never dies.” Buscaglia, Leo
“That is the father’s unenviable job in the family: to provide for everyone while also becoming their adversary.” J. August Strindberg (J. August Strindberg) (J. August Strindberg) (
“Every parent should keep in mind that his kid will one day follow his example rather than his advise.” Charles Kettering (Charles Kettering) (Charles Kettering) (Charles
“Son, there are times when a man is forced to do things he dislikes in order to protect his family.” Ralph Moody (Ralph Moody, Ralph Moody, Ralph Mo
“A parent must teach his son how to behave in the world. He has to be given swagger, taught how to read a map so he can distinguish the roads that lead to life and the routes that lead to death, how to know what love entails, and where to locate steel in the heart when life places demands on us that we don’t believe we can withstand.” Ian Morgan Cron (Ian Morgan Cron) (Ian Morgan Cron) (Ian
“Parenthood is still the amateur’s most prized possession.” Alvin Toffler (Alvin Toffler, Alvin Toffler, Alvin Toffle
“My father never told me how to conduct my life. He survived, and he let me see how he did it.” –Kelly Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington Budington
“There’s no one above you when you’re a father.” Who is going to do something that has to be done if I don’t?” Jonathan Safran Foer (Jonathan Safran Foer, Jonathan Safran Foer, Jonathan Safran Foer, Jonathan Sa I’m here.
He asked, ‘Why do guys like me desire sons?’ ‘It has to be because they believe in their miserable broken hearts that these new guys, who are their blood, would accomplish what they were not strong enough, intelligent enough, or courageous enough to do.’ It’s like getting a second shot at life; it’s like getting a fresh bag of coins at a table of luck after your luck has run out.’” Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History, by John Steinbeck
“If the past can’t educate the present, and the father can’t teach the son, then history shouldn’t have gone on, and the world has squandered a lot of time.” Russell Hoban (Russell Hoban)
“There are many different sorts of success in life that are worthwhile. Being a successful businessman, or railway man, or farmer, or a successful lawyer or doctor; or a writer, or a President, or a ranchman, or the colonel of a fighting regiment, or killing grizzly bears and lions; or a writer, or a President, or a ranchman, or the colonel of a fighting regiment; or a colonel of a fighting regiment, or to kill grizzly bears But, if things go well, a home of children will make all other types of accomplishment and achievement pale in comparison in terms of unwavering interest and satisfaction.” –Washington, D.C.’s Theodore Roosevelt
“Father!—We cannot offer a better name to God Himself.” William Wordsworth was a poet who lived in the 18th century.
“We think our Fathers are fools as we get smarter; no doubt our wiser Sons will think the same of us.” Alexander Pope, author
“His ideals accepted family, delighted in the social mixing of the kitchen, and, most importantly, loved the loving chaos of children.” –Cole, John
“Children are the treasures of the impoverished.” –An old English proverb
“Building strong children is simpler than repairing damaged men.” Frederick Douglass (Frederick Douglass)
“A girl’s father is the first and possibly most significant male in her life.” –Jeremiah David
“Fathers, like mothers, do not appear out of nowhere. Men mature into dads, and fathering is a critical step in their growth.” David Gottesman (David Gottesman)
“Make me a suitable example for a son, Father of Fathers.”
–David Malloch
“I think that what we become is influenced by what our dads teach us while they aren’t attempting to educate us. We are shaped by tidbits of knowledge.” –Eco, Umberto
“In the yard, my father used to play with my brother and me. ‘You’re ripping up the grass,’ Mother would exclaim. Dad would respond, ‘We’re not raising grass.’ ‘We’re raising guys,’ she says. Harmon Killebrew (Harmon Killebrew)
“You will never know the pleasure beyond joy, the love beyond emotion that echoes in the heart of a father when he looks upon his son until you have a son of your own…” You’ll never understand the feeling of honor that drives a guy to desire to be more than he is and to leave his kid with something decent and optimistic. And you’ll never understand the anguish of dads who are plagued by internal demons that prevent them from becoming the fathers they desire for their boys.” Kent Nerburn (Kent Nerburn)
“I know that having my kid is the nicest thing I will ever do when he looks up at me and bursts into his gorgeous toothless grin.” Dan Greenberg is a writer who lives in New York City.
“It’s like shaving to be a terrific parent.” You have to shave again tomorrow, no matter how well you shaved today.” –Reed Markham is a writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“Having children is simpler for a father than it is for children to have a true father.” –John XXIII, Pope
“When I first looked at you, I saw your two grandfathers instead of your mother and me… and, since my father, whom I adored, had died the year before, I was touched to realize that he was still alive in you.” Peter Carey (Peter Carey)
“Dads are everyday guys who are transformed into heroes, explorers, storytellers, and singers of song by love.” Pamela Brown
“The highest title a man can be awarded is ‘Father.’ It’s more than just a biological function. It represents a patriarch, a leader, a role model, a confidante, a teacher, a hero, and a friend.” Backman, Robert L.
“Noble dads have noble sons and daughters.” –Euripides
“A parent who fails to educate his kid about his responsibilities is just as culpable as a son who ignores them.” –Confucius
“Until a man has a kid and loves it, no man can possibly comprehend what life, the world, or anything means.” Hearn, Lafcadio
“I can’t conceive of a stronger need in youngsters than for a father’s protection.” Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud Sig
“A parent is a guy who expects his kid to be the man he was destined to be.” Frank A. Clark (Frank A. Clark) (Frank A. Clark) (Frank
“His father looked at him over the chasm of years and grief that separates a parent and his son.” –Marquand, John
“A father is needed to provide stability to a family.” –Tom Perry, L.
“Words have incredible power. The impact of a father’s speech may set in action a whole life pattern.” Gordon MacDonald (Gordon MacDonald)
“Rather than critics, children want role models.” –Joubert, Joseph
“No matter how big you get, a father is someone you look up to.” –Unknown
“There is no type of attachment more pure and heavenly than that of a father for his daughter.” There is yearning in love for our spouses; ambition in love for our boys; but there is something in love for our daughters that no words can explain.” Joseph Addison (Joseph Addison)
“You just have to keep plugging away and loving—hoping that your kid forgives you in the same way you loved, judged, forgave, and stood guard over him while he slept, year after year.” Ben Stein said it best:
“We have dads because life doesn’t come with an instruction manual.” Browne, H. Jackson
“You are your daughter’s hero, fathers.” My father was a hero of mine. Every night, I used to wait for him on the front steps of our house. He’d lift me up and swirl me around, allowing me to place my feet on top of his large shoes before dancing me into the home. I enjoyed the challenge of attempting to keep up with his every move. “I still believe in it.” Elaine S. Dalton (Elaine S. Dalton)
“A decent parent is one of our society’s most underappreciated, underappreciated, and underappreciated advantages.” Billy Graham (Billy Graham)
“You educate your son’s son when you teach your son.” –From the Talmud
“My father always stated that a kid needs four things: a lot of love, nutritious food, regular sleep, and plenty of soap and water. After that, he really needs some thoughtful neglect.” –Priest Ivy Baker
“Like so many things between dads and sons, playing catch was both sensitive and stressful.” Donald Hall is a writer who has written for a variety of publications.
“I am a soldier by profession, and I am quite proud of that, but I am even prouder, immeasurably prouder, to be a parent. A military destroys in order to construct; the parent, on the other hand, only builds and never destroys.” –David MacArthur, General
“A parent who is alone is not a powerful father.” Fathering is a tough and dangerous adventure that is best accomplished with the assistance of other men.” –John L. Hart, Ph.D.
“Children in the new century, when change is sure to continue and stress is unavoidable, will need the guidance of an accessible father more than ever.” Ian Grant says:
“A father’s qualities may be seen in the aims, desires, and objectives he sets for his family as well as himself.” –Reed Markham is a writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“Fathership isn’t something perfect men do; it’s something that makes a guy perfect.” Frank Pittman (Frank Pittman)
“An only son should never be worried about. He will never consider himself a failure.” George Bernard Shaw (George Bernard Shaw)
“I have a seven-year-old kid. I’m fifty-four years old. It has taken me a long time to get to that age. I have more community respect, am stronger, more smarter, and believe I am better than he is. I don’t want to be his friend; instead, I want to be his father.” –Fadiman, Clifton
“Someday you will realize that a parent is more happier when his children are happy than when he is happy.” I don’t know how to describe it: it’s a sensation in your body that radiates joy throughout you.” –Pere Goriot, Honore de Balzac
“A kid enters your house and creates so much noise for the next twenty years that you can’t bear it. The youngster leaves, and the home is so quiet you fear you’re going insane.” –Holmes, John Andrew
“Every parent, at some time, is the father of the prodigal son who has no choice but to leave his home open to hope.” –Ciardi, John
[hide] Contents
- 1. The Love of a Father for His Son
- 2. The Love of a Father for His Daughter
The Love of a Father for His Son
He asked, ‘Why do guys like me desire sons?’ ‘It has to be because they believe in their miserable broken hearts that these new guys, who are their blood, would accomplish what they were not strong enough, intelligent enough, or courageous enough to do.’ It’s like getting a second shot at life; it’s like getting a fresh bag of coins at a table of luck after your luck has run out.’” Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History, by John Steinbeck
“If the past can’t educate the present, and the father can’t teach the son, then history shouldn’t have gone on, and the world has squandered a lot of time.” Russell Hoban (Russell Hoban) (Russell Hoban) (Ru
“Like so many things between dads and sons, playing catch was both sensitive and stressful.” Donald Hall’s remark
“An only son should never be worried about. He will never consider himself a failure.” George Bernard Shaw’s quote
“I have a seven-year-old kid. I’m fifty-four years old. It has taken me a long time to get to that age. I have more community respect, am stronger, more smarter, and believe I am better than he is. I don’t want to be his friend; instead, I want to be his father.” —Fadiman, Clifton
“A parent is a guy who expects his kid to be the man he was destined to be.” Frank A. Clark (Frank A. Clark) (Frank A. Clark) (
“His father looked at him over the chasm of years and grief that separates a parent and his son.” —Marquand, John
“You don’t bring up heroes; you bring up sons. And if you treat them like sons, they’ll grow up to be heroes in your eyes, even if just in your own.” Sr. Walter M. Schirra
“Nothing is more precious to an aging parent than a daughter.” —Euripides
“There is no type of attachment more pure and heavenly than that of a father for his daughter.” There is yearning in love for our spouses; ambition in love for our boys; but there is something in love for our daughters that no words can explain.” Joseph Addison, “Joseph Addison, Joseph Addison, Joseph Addison, Joseph
“You are your daughter’s hero, fathers. My father was a hero of mine. Every night, I used to wait for him on the front steps of our house. He’d lift me up and swirl me around, allowing me to place my feet on top of his large shoes before dancing me into the home. I enjoyed the challenge of attempting to keep up with his every move. I still believe that.” Elaine S. Dalton (Elaine S. Dalton)
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The “funny quotes about fatherhood” are a compilation of the best quotes on fatherhood. The quotes range from funny to inspirational and they all have a touch of humor.
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