Childhood is the best part of life, and there’s no one who can deny the ease and simplicity of being a worry-free youth. What’s funny is most of us don’t realize how easy we once had it, until we look back on nostalgic moments of our younger years. Here are some entertaining before and after photos of children and their adult selves, decades later.
Bodyless Heads
A family beach day is no fun if you don’t spend hours creating sand castles that will, in time, be washed off the shore. When building temporary kingdoms by the sea becomes boring, you can always resort to burying yourself in a coffin of sand and startling people passing by with your bodyless head. We all need a partner in crime to get the trick done and Sofia and Brian were always a great prankster duo. Ten years later, the mischievous siblings dug another hole in the sand and relived their epic days of being buried in the grains.
Forever Petty
Some people’s petty side only starts to come out during their teenage years, but we’re pretty sure Miranda knew she was a straight up baller from the moment she exited her mother’s womb. Nothing says I don’t give an “F” more than a flick of the middle finger and a shot of whiskey to top it off. At 6 years old, she was the gangster of the neighborhood and as you can see, nothing has changed since then. Here’s to not giving a darn!
Throwback Onesie
Raising a nutjob like Joey wasn’t an easy job for his parents. Although the star of this photo received two degrees from a couple of prestigious universities and became a respected lawyer, he has always stayed true to his wacky and wild self. In honor of his 29th birthday, Joey climbed into a white onesie and created a collage of him at 7 years old and him twenty years later. We don’t know if we should laugh or cry…
Sloppy Sandy
Everyone has that one friend who is a pro at bad manners, and Sandy is a perfect example of a born and bred slob. Spaghetti and bolognese isn’t something we’d advise you to eat before taking your picture, but Becky clearly doesn’t care. Although she has aged over the 30 years since the initial photo was taken and now rocks an edgy haircut, you can’t deny the resemblance between the two blonde girls in the photo. Sandy’s eating habits haven ‘t changed a bit, but she is still adorable.
The Best Gift
The top photo displays an adorable black fluffy puppy held by his young faithful owner. Tom first met his canine soulmate on a snowy Christmas morning. Bolt waited eagerly inside a small wooden box, and from the moment that Tom unfastened the red ribbon, a life-long bond came to life. Bolt has stayed by Tom’s side for 13 years now, and although he has grown a few gray hairs, he is still the adorable dog he was 12 Christmases ago.
Bucket Bathing
Ah… The good ol’ days of bucket bathing and kiddie pools. Can you think of anything more fun than splashing around in a pail of water that barely fits your rear end? We can’t! Here’s another question. What was the little boy on the left doing with that plate? Was he gathering soap water to feed the plants or planning on pouring it on his annoying little brother? Years later, the siblings nestled in similar yellow bins and created a recap of their carefree, youthful days.
Little? Not For Long…
Once upon a time, tiny Tommy, in the red striped shirt, would tell his bigger brothers to pick on someone their own size. 35 years and ten shirt sizes later, the small boy evolved into a strong mature man, eventually outgrowing his two older siblings. Age may just be a number, but height and weight matter. Nowadays, tiny Tommy hovers almost a head over his oldest brother, outweighs him by 40 pounds, and can easily beat the crap out of both of them.
Fatherly Cuddles
This is not the first time we’ve seen a dad fall asleep on the job. Videos and memes of dads slacking off have become viral on the internet, and to be honest, it’s kind of funny. On the left, you have father Frank squeezing in a little snooze as baby Mathew waits patiently for his mother to come home and feed him. Years later, Frank is still slacking off from his daddy-duties, however providing warm cuddles to his 32-year-old son.
Back Seat Memories
The annual trip to Disney World was always the Johnson family’s favorite vacation. For the kids, that is. As the for the parents, breaking up back seat arguments and putting up with overheated and starving children wasn’t the ideal getaway. But these are the sacrifices a parent must make, right? Now, in a slightly more modern van, the adult siblings climb into the back seats and embark on another nostalgic trip to Disney World. And what would the adventure be worth if a then and now photo wasn’t captured to document the moment?
The Airplane Age
Don’t lie, you loved when your mom would swoop you up and dangle you in the air with her feet. For a second there, we thought both the kids on the right were actually being supported by their mom, but if you look closer, you can see it’s an illusion. Although mom has kept her good looks alive, she has gotten older and naturally, isn’t as strong as she used to be. Thankfully, the boys made her job easier by using the kitchen counter and a handstand to hold them up.
The Fluffiest Of Friends
There’s nothing like being raised with a pet and having the privilege of growing old with your dog is something not all people have. While Evan evolved from a kid wearing a blue onesie, into a man with chest hair and muscles, his dog, Lewie, didn’t change all that much over the years. Evan is a university student so he only gets to see his pooch on holidays when he visits the rents. Though Lewie is old for a dog, he still goes wild whenever Evan walks through the door.
Glued For Life
As we wave goodbye to primary school days and enter adult-life, we all naturally embark on different paths and eventually lose touch with certain people. Tanner (to the left) and Greg (to the right) have however broken the status quo and have been through everything together. Since they graduated high school, they attended the same college, majored in the same subjects, and even become roommates. They attended their high school reunion as each other’s plus one and impressed their former classmates with their everlasting bond.
The Miracle Truck
This old red Ford homes many precious childhood memories and that’s probably the reason the Tanner family can’t bear to get rid of it. Surviving three accidents, one of which included a serious crash, that left them with not even a scratch, the Tanners believe their car is a miracle truck. Aside from being the automobile sent from heaven, this old four-wheeler has taken them through the twisted mountains of Georgia, miles of golden hayfields and countless nostalgic hunting trips, never once breaking down.
Laundry Nostalgia
By the looks of this snap, Jane’s laundry obsession began before she was out of diapers.
From Diva To Doctor
Meghan’s last name isn’t Fox, but she sure has dipped her toes into the modeling world. Wearing the same oversized shades, white dress and slippers, the star of this photo own the runway. As a young girl, Meghan used to yank clothes out of her closet, try on everything, and host homemade fashion shows. Encouraging her daughter’s modeling aspirations, Meghan’s mom would sit on the couch and be her photographer. Today, Meghan is a physician, but boy does she rock that white coat!
Captain Zack
These pictures show the same exact River and the same exact boy, just 25 years apart. After not visiting the riverside for decades, Zack’s parents organized a family getaway that would take place at their favorite spot. Zack was the brother who had an odd obsession with Popeye the Sailor and every time his family went to the riverside, he’d throw on a white sailor hat and ask his dad to take pictures of him flexing his invisible muscles. Although Zack’s aspirations have evolved over the years, his dream of meeting Popeye is still relevant.
Swapping Sides
The circle of life is a difficult thing to fathom. As people get older, they become more dependent on their children and all of a sudden, positions swap. A child who was used to be dependent on his parents ends up becoming their primary caretaker. Once a strong man, holding on to his boy’s little hand, Sullivan now leans on his son for help. Although pops has developed some wrinkles, he’s still rocking the same suit style and is extremely grateful to have his son by his side.
Baby-Stinker
The one time it’s universally accepted to act like a total weirdo is when you’re talking to a baby. We know what this dad was saying to baby Jim. “Did you make a little stinky?! Oh, yes you did! That’s right, you baby-stinker! Now, we have to change your dirty diaper!” The facial expressions in the recent bottom photo may not be as authentic, but they’re still hilarious. We just hope this time Jim didn’t really poop in his pants!
Through Thick And Thin
From a black and white photo of a newlywed couple to a beautiful snap of them 80 years later, this picture has us at loss for words. Barry and Sonya’s hearing may have deteriorated over the years, but their love for each other has grown stronger in that time. They’ve shared a long-lasting bond since 1938 and have promised to do so until their very last breath. The elderly couple has also stayed loyal to their 1935 blue Chrysler, which they recently passed down to their oldest son.
Pizza vs. Burgers
Trix may be for kids, but pizza and hamburgers are for everyone! Robby and Sam have always been big food lovers but they never ordered the same thing at restaurants. Although Sam is a cheese dude and Robby is a human carnivore, they still steal from each other’s plates when the other isn’t looking. Robby has always been meticulous about his food, making sure he has just the right amount of sauce spread on his meat patty, while Sam is a vacuum cleaner that will literally eat anything in sight.
Pizza vs. Burgers
Trix may be for kids, but pizza and hamburgers are for everyone! Robby and Sam have always been big food lovers but they never ordered the same thing at restaurants. Although Sam is a cheese dude and Robby is a human carnivore, they still steal from each other’s plates when the other isn’t looking. Robby has always been meticulous about his food, making sure he has just the right amount of sauce spread on his meat patty, while Sam is a vacuum cleaner that will literally eat anything in sight.
Play Dead
Everyone knows that children are pros when it comes to drifting off in any position. We are, however, skeptical of how this kid managed to ‘fall asleep’ while standing. On the left, we suspect that baby Adam was pretending to be asleep while his mommy announced from the other room that it was bathtime. Hoping to outsmart his mother and avoid getting soapy, the youngster pulled the play-dead card and hoped she’s fall for his scheme. How long do you think it took to wake him up?
Biker vs. Nerd
Although there’s a twenty-year gap between the pictures below, this Harley-inspired father looks fly as ever and still sports the same style apparel he once wore, two decades ago. Taking on parent’s traits and mannerisms is natural, but in this case, Paul and his son couldn’t be any more different. Mainly interested in motorbikes and riding in the wind, Paul doesn’t share his son’s passion for computer science and comic books, but they still have a beautiful relationship.
Human Or Doll?
Before you judge this little boy for playing with dolls, take a closer look and you’ll see that the immobile-looking infant in his hands is actually a human. On Thanksgiving, the two brothers went through some old childhood albums and stumbled upon this antique photo. Three glasses of wine later, the guys decided it would be a great idea to create a modernized version of the picture and that’s what they did. We’d give an A for effort, but the results are just too terrible…
Marvel Brothers
Halloween never gets old, even if you’re a hundred years old and don’t even get us started on Superman. Believe it or not, the parents of this charming brother duo are both huge comic fans and are obsessed with all the Marvel superheroes. Tony (the older brother on the left) wanted to dress up as Tinkie Winkie from Teletubbies, but his mom couldn’t find a matching costume for his little brother. Superman was clearly the best choice left. (at least, according to the parents).
Timberland Thief
Amy was always a tomboy and a daddy’s girl, which is why she would steal her dad’s Timberlands and not her mother’s heels. Spending her childhood in the wilderness, climbing trees, Amy has aged 24 years since the first photo and become a fine young woman (now with her own pair of Timberlands). Before this picture hit the internet, it was originally framed and given to her dad as a Father’s Day gift. You know what they say – the best presents are those given from the heart!
Bucket Head
You know those kids who think covering their own eyes will keep them unseen? Benji was certainly one of them. Following escaping the playroom without cleaning up his lego-mess, Benjy’s mom walked into the bathroom and found him in this position. Although Marry was upset her son was avoiding his chores, she still got a great laugh from the scene and even took a picture of it Once the Kodak moment was over, Benji was shipped off to the playroom to clean up his mess.
