Photos That Made Kids Realize Their Parents Were Cooler Than They Were

Sometimes the cool gene does NOT get passed down because these are some seriously old school cool parents

Elana

• Published in Funny
• April 23, 2019

Whether you have a particularly good relationship with your parents or a more lack-luster one, there's a chance that you find it rather enjoyable to hear about them as kids, or more specifically as teenagers and young adults. The world changes so fast, and a single generational difference presents two entirely different cultures. This rings especially true if your parents were a bit on the older end of starting to breed. My parents were like that.

My dad was a scrawny, nerdy type until his junior year of high school. Suddenly, he was tall and swarthy and "cool." My mom was an all-around bad-ass. She hopped on the back of motorcycles and punched guys in the nose for coming on too strong. How do you not love hearing stuff like that about your parents? The best part is when your parents pull out pictures from their youth and you can see with your own two eyes how cool they were.

And sometimes you find yourself commiserating a bit, because you'll never be as cool as they once were.

1. Who doesn't appreciate an ancient selfie?

Reddit user mastiffmum said:

1969 Vietnam: My father's version of a selfie before selfies were a thing.

2. Coolest photo ever?

"Chuck Norris pinned by my dad." - LanaDelRayquaza

Your dad is the coolest dad.

3. "My Mother Doing A Handstand On Two Skateboards (Circa 1980's)"

Meanwhile, 1 in 3 kids today in the US are obese.

4. "My Mom In The Police Academy, 1984"

That's a badass photo.

5. The Educated Momma

Reddit user FrenchFriesGate says:

My mom holding myself, whilst writing her master these on The Macintosh Classic II (1991)

6. "My Dad Diving Off The Starboard Fin Of A Submarine And Into The Pacific Ocean In The Summer Of 1983"

This is a supremely cool photograph.

7. Stylish

Reddit user RobinThomass says:

My parents in 1972, in front of their store in Paris.

8. "My mom flew helicopters for the army in the 80's"

That's one cool mom.

9. "My Friends Parents Are Celebrating Their 47th Anniversary This Week. Here's Them Being Badasses In The 70's"

Happy Anniversary!

10. "My Favorite Picture of My Mom."

1984 Louisiana, Reddit user lizzyhaze says she loves this picture of her mom, the only girl in her welding class.

11. "My Father Who Shipped His Bike Over To England And Rode All Over Europe On It - 1973 "

Dedicated to the ride.

12. Maximum Relaxed, Maximum Cool

Reddit user TheCKBandit says:

My mom, age 15, smoking at an Allman Brothers concert with a broken arm. Watkins Glen '73.

13. Dun, Dun!

"My mom was a homicide detective in the 80's." - gymbez

14. "My Dad (Front) In Vietnam In 1971."

Reddit user strawberrygnome said:

He didn't know this photo existed until I came across it randomly on the Internet. He cried when he saw it.

15. Here is something you definitely don't see in every family photo album.

"My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion, which they raised for two years, 1959."

-ryanb99

16. "My dad at his first job... at NASA!"

You know your dad is cool when his first job was at NASA.

17. "My Dad A Zoo Keeper In 1992"

Reddit user 8_Bit_Zombies added:

He was the only one at the time who could call the rhinos by name and they would come running like dogs. They enjoy a scratch behind the ear like dogs too.

18. Superstar Momma

"My mom as a Red Cross volunteer in WWII. She had her own radio show in the Pacific Theater to counteract Tokyo Rose. 1944." - Saved_by_punctuation

19. More annoyed than phased.

Reddit user leo_nardo:

My pregnant mom at gunpoint, trying to get home. Berkeley May 1969

When someone inquired as to how she got this photo, he replied:

She had no idea it was actually taken. Weeks later her and my dad were at a photography exhibit and she told the photographer it was her and her friend in the photo. Photographer was nice enough to giver the the copy!

20. "My Dad's Graduation Photo. Circa 1970's"

Like a SIR.

21. "Mom Spinning Records At Kwkh, Shreveport - 1977"

Looking very 70's... totally fabulous.

22. Epic.

Reddit user peter_nincompoop33 said:

Pretty rad picture of my dad when he was 22, in Texas. Taken in 1987. That Ghettoblaster is epic.

23. Becoming American

Reddit user cryptolingo said:

My mom fled Saigon in 1975. By the 90's, she had joined the US Air Force.

24. "One Of My Favorite Photos Of My Parents In The Late 70s"

Cool cats. Cool couple.

25. At last, I'm an adult.

Reddit user JasonPlatz said:

My hilarious father (with the magazine) and my grandfather, grandmother, and uncle... at his Bar Mitzvah in 1972.

26. Picture Perfect Moment

Reddit user iAmReginaPhalange said:

My dad taking a smoke break while fighting Saddam Hussein's army in the 80's.

27. "My Father Halfway Through Motorcycling Across Africa - 1980s"

If this is the halfway point, we would love to see the final ride.

28. Oh, Momma!

Reddit user kingngrfgt said:

My mom said she gave this up when she had me. I'm pretty sure she stopped when I was old enough to want some. (1970's)

29. "My Dad Fishing... On A Nuclear Submarine 1966"

*Humming* We all fish on a nuclear submarine. Nuclear submarine. Nuclear submarine.

30. Birth sure has changed a lot since the 70's.

Reddit user rookdanger said:

My mom in the hospital after giving birth to my sister. Canada 1978. Smokes and roasted chicken.

Elana