Childhood photos are a beautiful thing. Not only do they capture a special moment in time, but they are also hilariously awkward. And the only thing funnier than an embarrassing photo from our younger years is recapturing the moment as adults; nothing keeps a particular memory alive more than reliving it in all its awkward glory. And lucky for you, some families have decided to share their quirkiest now-and-then photo ops with the internet, so we can all get a good laugh out of them.
They're All Going on the Naughty List
Yeah, this is the kind of image that is totally harmless and wholesome if you've got a bunch of kids taking it but takes on an entirely new meaning when it's a group of fully grown adults posing that way. Let's just say that they're all going on Santa's naughty list, and by the looks of it, these guys would probably like that very much. Okay, just kidding. They are family, after all.
There's no harm in a bunch of siblings just piling up on top of each other like that, even if the end result is a tiny bit awkward.
They Look Like They Should Be Hosting Some Children's Show
If there's one thing we love about children, it's their unbridled and totally unhinged sense of fashion. It's often said that children are fiercely creative, way more than their adult counterparts, and we tend to agree - just look at these guys pulling off these crazy combinations with their striped turtleneck sweaters and oddly formal attire. Is this some high-end fashion exhibition or a family photo? We're not quite sure.
And yet, for some reason, those outfits definitely work better on kids than they do on fully-grown adults. Fashion is what it is, and it's pretty strange.
482 Months Later
Okay, so this is definitely one of the most creative family photo recreations out there. Also, this guy went the extra mile and calculated the number of months that had passed since the advent of his birth, and we admire his dedication to the bit. A little bit of fiery passion always goes a long way. He also really managed to recreate the face he made back when he was a baby. Nice job!
It's strange just how much we have changed over the years. It's almost impossible to actually imagine that baby growing up to be a bearded man just by looking at him.
This One Gives Us Haunted House Vibes
We're not quite sure what it is about this photograph, but it's giving us big Haunted Mansion vibes; this could be the poster for a remake of that movie. It's as though something terrible and mysterious has happened in that house. Some dark secret that no amount of smiling family photos could ever erase. No, no. Those things won't go away, no matter how much you may wish them to. You can't wash away your sins just like that.
On a brighter note, we have to hand it to these three family men for taking such a goofy photo. They're rocking some of the most whimsical and utterly comical facial gestures we've ever seen.
Even the Speedo Made a Comeback
There are some elements in old family photos that just shouldn't be recreated; things that have just aged way too poorly, things that maybe didn't even really work back when the original photo was taken, or perhaps things that worked back then but really shouldn't be recreated now. Those speedos definitely fit the third category. Sure, they're wholesome when you put them on a kid in the Eighties.
But when it's a fully grown man wearing them? Yikes. Better just leave that in the past, pal. Just kidding - we're just jealous we're not brave enough to post photos in speedos.
Guess He Never Learned How to Properly Eat Ice Cream
For some reason unknown to us, kids seem to get ice cream all over their faces whenever they eat it. In fact, they tend to get whatever they eat all over their faces all the time. We're not sure why that is, but we do know that every family has that one photo of a kid with an obscene amount of food covering their face.
Not every family, however, decides to recreate that same photo. It takes a lot of guts to rub ice cream all around your mouth like that as an adult. Props to this guy.
Overalls Are Back in Style in Ohio
Only in Ohio, right? I can't have anything in Ohio these days. Okay, but jokes aside, we know those denim overalls scream "hillbilly," but they're actually pretty darn cool. Like, as a piece of clothing, they have so much fashion potential. The picture of the two adults rocking them just confirms that. This could be the next statement piece of the decade. These guys are definitely on to something.
Also, this is kind of beside the point, but isn't it crazy how the kids' hair color changed from totally blonde to a much darker browner color? Growing up is strange.
Legend Says Hulk Hogan's Still Choking Him to This Day
If there's one thing we can count on, it's Hulk Hogan staying jacked-up and in shape forever. He will always be down to put you in a chokehold, even as a frail older man; that much is for sure. These two pictures are proof of just that - this kid managed to grow into a fully-matured adult, and the only thing that's changed about Hogan is a couple of wrinkles and the degree to which he bleached his hair.
Truly, Hulkamania is never going to die out, not until they put the big man six feet under. On a completely unrelated note, we need a picture with Hulk Hogan choking us.
Looks Like They Saved That Box for Decades
We all know who the real star player of this photo is. It has got to be that box. We have no idea if these two actually kept their old box or if they just managed to get themselves a completely identical one, but it is totally carrying this picture. This photo would just be a regular, boring family photo without that boxing holding those two goofy brothers, wouldn't it?
And speaking of, how is that box even holding these two? Like, sure, when they were young, it made sense. But now? Those are two fully grown adults right there.
We're Glad They Were Able to Keep the Awkwardness Alive
Wow, we never would have thought we'd ever get to see such a genuine photograph of Lous C.K. with his immediate family like this. We are, of course, talking about that guy in the bottom right corner. Doesn't he totally resemble the famous (or maybe one should say infamous) stand-up comedian, T.V. writer, actor, and director Louis C.K.? The answer is yes, yes, he does resemble Louis C.K.
Like, he's got the white shirt and the tie and everything. All he needs now is his own stand-up special.
Boys Don't Grow Up, They Just Start Drinking
The thing about boys is, is that they never really change. Whoever tells you that they do has either been totally misled or is just straight-up lying to your face. They don't change, but their toys do. So, once upon a time, they would play all sorts of silly, childish games in the bathtub together. Nowadays, they drink beers in the bathtub together. Do you see what we are talking about?
Take these two young whippersnappers, for example. Physically they've changed. That much is for certain. But look at their eyes, stare into their souls; does it look like they've aged? Didn't think so.
From "New Dad Naps" to "Old Man Naps"
Is it just us, or did that dad barely even age at all? Perhaps he is some kind of vampire or another sort of immortal, mythical creature? That's the only explanation we have as to how this man could go through the trials and tribulations of raising a child (to the point which said child has an adult beard) and looking as though he barely even aged at all.
Like, it's just crazy how much that kid has grown up and how little the father has changed at all. Growing up is totally different than growing old, we guess.
How Did She Even Get Up There?
This girl is a total legend. She just sat there up on a fridge holding a plate of some ambiguous food shooting off a one-thousand-yard death stare at some unlucky recipient. If that's not some classic Girlboss behavior, we don't know what is. We only have one question to ask this esteemed lady: how the hell did you get up on that fridge in the first place? Surely she didn't climb up there all by herself, right?
On second thought, maybe she did. Maybe she was as nimble as she was defiant back in those days. Guess only she and whoever took the photo will ever know.
The Circle of Life
So on the top, we have a perfect photo. It's so perfect that it almost looks like some kind of old-school, Baroque painting with heavy ascetic symbolism filled with artistic passion and religious fervor. On the bottom, we have something more akin to reality. Yeah, that's how most of us turn out - exhausted, obnoxiously sleeping, and dressed only in our underwear or, even worse - a diaper.
When we're kids, we have so much potential, and then we start doing anything but realizing that potential. Soon enough, you end up like this guy right here in the diaper.
We'd Do the Same Thing if Our Parents Still Walked in on Us in the Bathroom
Look, we're not sure how this guy got himself into that situation as a kid, but we do know that he's in all sorts of trouble. This is one situation we would never want to find ourselves in. This is the kind of thing you wish upon your worst enemies - to have a bucket over your head while you relieve yourself has definitely got to be one of the most extreme situations a person can get into.
What's even funnier than getting into that situation as a kid is purposefully recreating that scenario as an adult. This guy did the one thing you aren't supposed to do - revisit the scene of the crime.
The Real Captain Underpants
Some people are just born wild party animals, and no amount of growing up or traumatic life experiences will ever change that. Truly, none of us go through life totally unscathed, but this man has been rocking out since the day he popped out of his mother's belly. Just look at him totally tearing it up as an infant. That's just a total vibe, if we're being honest. We wish we were that cool.
We do have to say, however, that it does seem as though he mellowed out with age. Like, you just can't recreate that expression of sheer ecstasy he had as a kid.
He's Never Been Scared of a Speedo
Some things are just an integral part of who you are. Some people, for instance, never grow out of their love of certain hobbies, often regarded as childish, such as cartoons or video games or whatnot. This kid, for instance, never grew out of his "I'm the Captain" phase, and really, who are we to tell him that he is not, in fact, the captain? Yeah, that's what we thought.
Besides, if he isn't the captain, then who is? Do you see anybody else rocking that captain's hat? No, we didn't think so. So we should all move along.
He's Just a Little Bigger Now
Somebody here tried to make the forbidden Human Salad. Now, while that bowl may have been fine for all Baby Salad purposes, that person's going to need a bigger bowl to fit this fully-grown adult human into. That bowl just isn't going to cut it. The sadistic cannibal who took this photo should probably go on a road trip to Ikea or something and get himself a more suitable piece of kitchen tool for his dastardly culinary schemes.
We're not even sure how this poor person managed to find himself a part of a cannibalistic recipe not once but twice in his life. He really should've learned his lesson from the first time.
Big Bro Still Can't Believe He's Not an Only Child Anymore
Society expects us to just grow up and assume our adult responsibilities in an adult world. It expects us to function, to be good citizens, good samaritans, and responsible adults. To that, however, some brave individuals muster up the courage to say: "No. We don't want to do that. We want to be babies forever." We admire those select few individuals for refusing to give up their inner child. You go, guys.
It seems as though this guy right here is certainly one of those select few individuals. We respect him so much.
Once a Bookworm, Always a Bookworm
Uh-oh, it seems as though somebody's been in the thick of it! Now, we're not quite sure what it is that this young girl was caught doing in the first photo, but she seems to be quite thoroughly ashamed of herself. That is, at least, if we are to go by her body language. What drives the point home even further is that her adult self managed to recreate that same expression of guilt.
So, we won't ever know what it was that she was doing, but the woman herself knows, and that should be enough, shouldn't it? We think so.
You're Never Too Old to Shower Together, Right?
Well, actually, some would argue that there definitely comes the point where you are too old to shower together. Where that point may be, however, is certainly up for debate, but we're pretty sure that these guys crossed that point a long time ago. That didn't stop them from recreating this cute little family photo, though. Yes, it seems like nothing, not even the timeless tradition of feeling uncomfortable undressing in front of your family, could stop these guys from recreating this photo.
Then again, some families don't feel uncomfortable undressing around each other. It's often said that European families are much laxer about this kind of thing than North American families are.
Ah, Yellow Boxes - Man's Best Friend
You know, some people say that dogs are man's best friend. But we are intellectuals, you and us, and we know that isn't true. We know that it is the yellow box; in fact, that is man's true best friend. Look at these two kids in the first photo; they are just happy to be inside their comfy little boxes. Now look at their adult counterparts - they look just as happy.
Yes, it's true - yellow boxes are truly the key to a person's happiness. Don't believe us? Well, go ahead and give it a go for yourself before you knock it.
Took Him A While, But He Finally Mined the Entire Berlin Wall
This just goes to show that there is nothing, not anything in the world, that can truly stop the indomitable human spirit. That's right, not even an infamous border wall symbolizing the ideological abyss between Western Capitalist Democracy and 20th-century Communism. This guy kept at it for years, but it definitely paid off. Years after he took that first picture, he managed to finally mine down the entire Berlin Wall.
Now, setting aside his ideological motives, we've got to hand it to him for actually putting that much effort into his endeavor. Okay, fine. We know he didn't mine down the Berlin Wall, but it's funny to pretend as if he did do so.
Dad Stayed Buff
Okay, overall, it's nice and wholesome that these guys went ahead and recreated a cute picture they took decades ago. Yeah, it's cute, and it's heartwarming, blah, blah, blah. But we here have something more important to point out about this photo, and that's that they got their recreation wrong! Yeah, that's right! They paid no attention to detail! The father should have held the son to his right and the daughter to his left!
Now, this may seem like nitpicking, and it definitely is, but if the family won't pay attention to these kinds of details, then we're going to have to step up and be the ones to do it.
This Was Definitely Big Bro's Idea the First Time
These two are not to be messed with. They're waiting patiently for something to happen as they disguise themselves, as they camouflage themselves, as they hide in the elements, stalking their prey. Well, one of them is. The other one doesn't seem to be all too satisfied with the fact that she's neck-deep in sand. Some people just aren't made for the great outdoors, are they?
Other people definitely are. Look at that kid's wholehearted smile as he sits there, totally covered in sand. He could be there all day. He probably was there all day, which may be why the girl was crying.
An Uncanny Resemblance
You know, we don't want to be mean or anything, but when you see a picture of two goofy-looking kids and their adult counterparts, you kind of expect to see just how much they grew into handsome or beautiful adults. Sometimes, however, that isn't the case. Now, we're not saying that this is one of those cases, but we also aren't saying it. That's something we should all decide for ourselves.
Okay, we're kidding. Besides, those kids are adorable. That mushroom haircut on the one on the right? Way ahead of its time. That's the kind of haircut people are going to be rocking 100 years from now.
We Bet They Still Fight by the End of the Road Trip
Oh, damn. That's way too many feet for our tastes. Like, it's a funny picture to take when you're a kid, but seeing those grown-up, adult feet all up in the camera lens is definitely something that could procure a bit of nausea and perhaps a tiny bit of moral disgust. Somebody tell this guy to put on some socks. Please, if not for you, then for us. We're suffering out here.
And yet, the true victims of this photo shoot have got to be the two brave siblings, soldiering it out as they hold those feet. They're smiling, but on the inside, they're in hell.
The Chair Is the Real MVP Here
Okay, so we all know who the real star player of this family photo is, and it has got to be that chair. Not only did it somehow miraculously survive all those decades of natural wear and tear, but it also managed to hold these guys in its bosom, despite its old age. Now that is definitely something that we've got to respect—a commendable feat, for sure.
So while we have to give it up to the family for being proactive enough to take the same photo, decades later, that feat just pales in comparison to the chair's accomplishments.
What Did the Cameraman Say to Those Poor Children?
If there's one person that can make or break a picture, it's the cameraman. The cameraman wields so much power at that very moment when he takes the picture. He can make someone shine, make someone look completely ridiculous, make the people he's shooting smile, or make them cry out in terror. We're not sure how he did it, but that seems to be the case when it comes to the first of these photos.
Like, what did he say to those poor children to have them cry like that? It really is, as they say: with great power comes great responsibility.
That's What We Call a Glow-Up
Aww, there's nothing cuter than a wholesome family photo at the beach where everyone is smiling and having fun and generally just enjoying their time out in the sun. This picture, however, is not one of those photos. "Why?" you ask. Great question. We kindly ask that you divert your attention to the woman on the left; she doesn't seem to be having that good of a time, does she?
So basically, without her, this would've been a wholesome family photo. However, it became something much greater with her, and we're thankful for that. Good on her.
They Traded in the Vests and Jeans for Tracksuits
Being a teenager is trying your very best to look cool and totally failing miserably. It seems as though no matter how much you try, there's just going to be something inherently awkward about teenagers trying to be fashionable. Then, as you grow up, you start learning how to dress, and you really do start looking quite sharp. But then, when you're truly mature, you realize that nobody cares.
Not even you, and you definitely could just go everywhere wearing tracksuits. Yeah, that's truly what it means to grow up - putting your comfort before appearances. Which, incidentally, is also what children do. Guess the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Still Not Amused
Years had passed since the photo on the left was first taken, perhaps even decades, and yet, the guy on the left is still totally unamused with his brother's silly antics. Now, if we're being honest, who can blame him? Brothers can get so annoying sometimes. It's like Spongebob: as a kid, you kind of hated Squidward for being a buzzkill. Maturity, however, is realizing that Squidward was right and that Spongebob's actually insufferable.
It seems as though these two siblings have got a Spongebob-and-Squidward-type dynamic going on for them. They definitely aren't the first siblings to have that, and they certainly won't be the last.
The Demon Eyes Run in the Family
There's something so unspeakably sinister about googly eyes. We're not sure what it is, but the second you actually try and wear them, you look like some kind of menacing creature of the underworld. Don't believe us? Well, just try and look into the eyes of these guys right here. We do admit that, for some reason, the kids look scarier with googly eyes than the adults do. We wonder why that is.
Decades later, and these guys are as goofy as ever and still at it with those googly eyes. It's like everything changes, and nothing changes at all, all at once.
They Haven't Showered in 20 Years
We're not sure how they manage to do it, but somehow, boys are just always dirty and covered in all sorts of grime and gunk and mud and sand and other earthly litter. And you know what they say - boys will be boys. Surely, these two pictures drive that point home - no matter how much they grow up, boys will always find a way to get themselves ridiculously dirty,
We're not sure why, but there's something just incredibly wholesome about this picture in a sort of "Dudes Rock" kind of way. There's something pure about a group of friends having a good time.
Playing Salon at Home Never Gets Old
One of the most prevalent games kids of all ages play is acting like adults. Some kids pretend to be doctors. Others act as though they're firemen. Some duke it out on the battleground as soldiers. Some children even pretend to be politicians giving elaborate, heartfelt speeches. These kids, however, decided to play an entirely different game - the game of beauty. This is funny because beauty isn't a game.
Basically, what we're trying to say is that it looks as though these guys had some weird beauty salon game that they played as kids. To be fair, it does look kind of fun.
It's a Good Thing Today's House Has a Higher Ceiling
There was one thing about this photo that had to change from the good old days when it was taken, and that thing was the ceiling. It was just way too low for these guys to recreate this picture as fully-grown adults. And guess what - that thing did change! The ceiling got higher, and these three musketeers went ahead and recreated their timeless family photo once more.
Now while they couldn't get their outfits exactly right, they definitely did their best in putting together outfits that sort of resemble their old ones, which is commendable in our book.
They Didn't Choose the Limelight, the Limelight Chose Them
We're not even sure what kind of photos these two were going for. Like, what's up with the kid holding a spoon? Why is he holding a spoon? What was he trying to convey with that picture? But what we do know is that somehow, for some reason, these two photos put together like this are totally glamorous. They're totally slaying, and we love them all the more for it.
They both grew up to be the rock stars and divas that they strived to be in their childhood. That much is an inarguable fact of life.
This Guy Was Born to Do Chores
Some people are just naturally gifted at some things. They, for whatever reason, just have an organic affinity for certain activities. Now, if we are to go by the picture on the left, it seems as though this guy was made to wash cars. Even as a young kid, who could barely hold himself upright, he went all out when it came to his car-washing duties. Got to love a man who isn't afraid to get right down to business.
We're pretty sure his significant other if he has one, is thanking his or her lucky stars that they met him. He's the ultimate chore-completing boyfriend, isn't he?
Long Lost Photos of the Royal Family Resurfaced
Down with the Old Order! And up with a New World Order - a New, Old World Order! Just wait, give these guys enough time, and they're going to make it big as the world's next Royal Family. They're going to have a palace and guards and everything. After all, they've already been dressing the part for years now, going by these two pictures, that is. God bless the new Royal Family!
Whoever said that the world doesn't have any need for a royal family anymore definitely hasn't met these two. They're about to bring the Old Order back into fashion.