Family Quotes For Any Situation, From Dysfunction To Bonding

The broad definition of family in the American Psychological Association dictionary reflects how diverse families can be. Their definition is: “A kinship unit composed of a group of individuals united by blood or by marital, adoptive, or other intimate ties. Although the family is the fundamental social unit of most human societies, since its form and structure vary widely.”

In other words, the term “family” can refer to the basic instinct of a nuclear, biologically related unit of relatives or to something even more complex and unique. Families can be adopted, blended, or chosen, big or small, geographically together or scattered throughout the globe. Regardless of the particular structure, virtually every family will face both challenges and joys together. The heartwarming, inspirational, and funny family quotes below relate to both the diversity of family structures and the diversity of the situations they may experience.

Quotes on family life, support, and love “to promote world peace”

Many people find their families—whether biological, chosen, or otherwise—to often be a source of joy, support, and love. These family quotes describe the positive feelings and experiences that a big family, a small family, and any other type may have with each other.

• “Family and friends are hidden treasures; seek them and enjoy their riches.” –Wanda Hope Carter
• “In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past and a bridge to our future.” –Alex Haley
• “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” –Mother Theresa
• “The greatest gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you.” –Kendall Hailey
• “A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.” –Ogden Nash
• “Bringing up a family should be an adventure, not an anxious discipline in which everybody is constantly graded for performance.” –Milton R. Sapirstein
• “Home is people, not a place. If you go back there after the people are gone, then all you see is what is not there anymore.” –Robin Hobb
• “The home is the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose, and that is to support the ultimate career.” –C.S. Lewis 
• “Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach greater heights and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” –Brad Henry
• “Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible—the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.” –Virginia Satir
• I grew up with six brothers. That's how I learned to dance—waiting for the bathroom.” –Bob Hope
• “Having a place to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing.” –Donna Hedges
• “I sustain myself with the love of family.” –Maya Angelou
• “It didn't matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” –Peter Buffett
• “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” –Lilo & Stitch (2002)
• “In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” –Friedrich Nietzsche

Quotes on close-knit family that is chosen

Family that we’re biologically related to is far from the only type. Many people consider their friends—those who choose to be in their lives and accept them for who they are—to be their closest family members. People who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community are especially likely to recognize their chosen family as their primary family, for example, with one study reporting that as many as 39% of queer adults say they’ve faced rejection from their birth families. The quotes below reflect the special bond of chosen family ties.

• “You need a rock-solid foundation of friends and family to keep you where you need to be.” –Lilly Singh
• “You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.” –Desmond Tutu
• “A friend is a second self.” –Aristotle
• “A brother may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a brother.” –Benjamin Franklin
• “Blood makes you related. Love and loyalty make you family.” –Katie Reus
• “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are—the ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.” –Unknown
• “The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us all to become our best while looking our worst.” –Marge Kennedy
• “When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching—they are your family.” –Jim Butcher
• “Sticking with your family is what makes it a family.” –Mitch Albom
• “Friends are the family you choose.” –Jess C. Scott
• “Family is family, whether it’s the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the one you gain along the way.” –Unknown

Quotes on blended families

The following blended family quotes relate to the unique experiences of these types of families.

• “The secret to blending families is…there is no secret. It’s scary and awesome and ragged and perfect and always changing. Love and laugh hard. Try again tomorrow.” –Mir Kamin
• “To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” –Barbara Bush
• “Blended families: woven together by choice, strengthened together by love, tested by everything, and each uniquely ours.” –Unknown
• “Family isn’t something that’s supposed to be static, or set. People marry in, divorce out. They’re born, they die. It’s always evolving, turning into something else.” –Sarah Dessen
• “Bright families are just like bright colors: When you blend two, you get something beautiful.” –Unknown
• “Soup is a lot like a family. Each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics, and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavor.” –Marge Kennedy
• “The blended family isn’t just an ordinary family times two. It’s a special kind of family with special needs.” –Maxine Marsolin
• “Becoming a blended family means mixing, mingling, and sometimes muddling our way through delicate family issues, complicated relationships, and individual differences, hurts, and fears. But through it all, we are learning to love like a family.” –Tom Frydenger
• “There is no such thing as a ‘broken family.’ Family is family, and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, or adoption documents.” –C. Joybell C.

“My dear young cousin…”: Quotes on challenges in families

As with virtually any group of people, most families will inevitably face interpersonal conflicts or challenges from time to time. The family quotes in this section speak to these difficulties, offering commiseration, advice, or comfort.

• "A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it." –Mary Karr
• “All happy families resemble one another but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” –Leo Tolstoy
• “Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse…and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.” –Rick Riordan
• “The other night I ate at a real nice family restaurant. Every table had an argument going.” –George Carlin
• “Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it’s the place where we find the deepest heartache.” –Iyanla Vanzant
• “If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.” –George Bernard Shaw
• “Healing generational trauma takes courage and strength.” –Dana Arcuri
• “Making amends is not only saying the words but also being willing to listen to how your behavior caused another’s pain, and then the really hard part…changing behavior.” –David W. Earle
• “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations.” –Oscar Wilde
• “My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the heck she is.” –Ellen DeGeneres
• “Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.” –Paul Pearsall
• “The best way to resolve any problem in the human world is for all sides to sit down and talk.” –Dalai Lama
• “My dear young cousin, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it.” –Rick Riordan

Seeking therapy for family challenges

Coping with family dysfunction or similar challenges on your own can be difficult. That’s why many people who are experiencing distress related to their own family life find it helpful to seek the support of a therapist. A trained therapist can provide a safe, nonjudgmental space in which you can express your emotions and learn strategies for coping with difficult situations. 

For those who find commuting to and from a therapist’s office for sessions to be inconvenient or uncomfortable, online therapy is another option to consider. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can speak with via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging to address the challenges you may be facing. 

Research suggests that online therapy can offer similar benefits to in-person therapy in many cases. That means you can generally feel confident in choosing whatever format works best for you. If you're interested in learning more, see below for client reviews of BetterHelp counselors.

Counselor reviews

“Patricia Corlew is very knowledgeable and is genuinely interested in helping me and my family. I would highly recommend Patricia to anyone seeking advice / help coping with their problems.” 

“Robin is amazing. This is my first time ever doing counselling and I was paired up with Robin. I have no regrets. I was going thought major changes with my family and Robin really help me to put everything in perspective and help me see things in a new light. she is very easy to talk to and work with. I’m really grateful to have met her as she has taught me so much. Thank you Robin. Both my husband and I really appreciate everything you do for us.”