When we’re young, we look at our parents as only one thing—parents. It doesn’t matter who they were before they had kids, or the cool sh*t they could have done in their younger days, we only see them as authoritarians who give us endless rules and chores. But, when you look at them as more than just *your* parents, you’d be surprised to know that they each probably had a pretty dope life long before you were in the picture.
Recently, BoredPanda compiled a bunch of throwback photos from kids who realized their parents are cooler than they will ever be in their life. Some of these are truly rare gems and now I want to go dig through my own parent’s old sh*t.
1. “My Favorite Picture Of My Mom. She Was The Only Girl In Her Welding Class In 1984. Byrd High School, Shreveport, Louisiana”
My favorite picture of my mom. She was the only girl in her welding class in 1984. Byrd High School. Shreveport, Louisiana. from OldSchoolCool
2. “My Mom Flew Helicopters For The Army In The 80s”
My mom flew helicopters for the Army in the 80s from OldSchoolCool
3. “My Mother Doing A Handstand On Two Skateboards (Circa 1980’s)”
My mother doing a handstand on two skateboards (cerca 1980’s) from OldSchoolCool
4. “My Dad At His First Job At Nasa!”
My dad at his first job at NASA! It is also his birthday today (1986) from OldSchoolCool
5. “My Dad (Front) In Vietnam In 1971. He Didn’t Know This Photo Existed Until I Came Across It Randomly On The Internet. He Cried When He Saw It”
My dad (front) in Vietnam in 1971. Didn’t know this photo existed until I came across it randomly on the internet. He cried when he saw it. Hope this is the right place to post it. from OldSchoolCool
6. “Chuck Norris Pinned By My Dad”
7. “My Dad And His Veterinarian Mother, With Their Pet Lion Which They Raised For Two Years, 1959”
My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion which they raised for two years, 1959 from OldSchoolCool
8. “My Mom Holding Myself Whilst Writing Her Master Thesis On The Macintosh Classic II (1991)”
My mom holding myself whilst writing her master thesis on the Macintosh Classic II (1991) from OldSchoolCool
9. “My Dad Diving Off The Starboard Fin Of A Submarine And Into The Pacific Ocean In The Summer Of 1983”
My dad diving off the starboard fin of a submarine and into the Pacific Ocean in the summer of 1983. from OldSchoolCool
10. “My Friends Parents Are Celebrating Their 47th Anniversary This Week. Here’s Them Being Badasses In The 70’s”
My friends parents are celebrating their 47th anniversary this week. Here’s them being badasses in the 70’s from OldSchoolCool
11. “My Mom Was A Homicide Detective In The 80s”
My mom was a bada** homicide detective in the 80s. from OldSchoolCool
12. “My Mom, Age 15, Smoking At An Allman Brothers Concert With A Broken Arm. Watkins Glen ’73”
My mom, age 15, smoking at an Allman Brothers concert with a broken arm. Watkins Glen ’73 from OldSchoolCool
13. “My Parents In 1972 In Front Of Their Store In Paris”
My parents in 1972 in front of their store in Paris. from OldSchoolCool
14. “My Father Who Shipped His Bike Over To England And Rode All Over Europe On It – 1973”
My father who shipped his bike over to England and rode all over Europe on it – 1973 from OldSchoolCool
15. “My Mom In The Police Academy, 1984”
16. “My Pregnant Mom At Gunpoint Trying To Get Home – May 1969 Berkeley”
My pregnant mom at gunpoint trying to get home – May 1969 Berkeley from OldSchoolCool
17. “My Mom As A Red Cross Volunteer In WWII. She Had Her Own Radio Show In The Pacific Theater To Counteract Tokyo Rose. 1944”
My mom as a Red Cross Volunteer in WW II. She had her own radio show in the Pacific Theater to counteract Tokyo Rose. 1944. from OldSchoolCool
18. “My Dad’s Graduation Photo. Circa 1970’s”
19. “Mom Spinning Records At Kwkh, Shreveport – 1977”
Mom spinning records at KWKH, Shreveport – 1977 from OldSchoolCool
20. “Pretty Rad Picture Of My Dad When He Was 22, In Texas, Taken In 1987. That Ghettoblaster Is Epic.”
Pretty rad picture of my dad when he was 22, in texas, taken in 1987. That ghettoblaster is EPIC. from OldSchoolCool
21. “My Mom Fled Saigon In 1975. By The 90s, She Had Joined The US Air Force”
My mom fled Saigon in 1975. By the 90s, she had joined the US Air Force. from OldSchoolCool
22. “One Of My Favorite Photos Of My Parents In The Late 70s”
One of my favorite photos of my parents in the late 70s from OldSchoolCool
23. “My Hilarious Father (With The Magazine) And My Grandfather, Grandmother, And Uncle At His Bar Mitzvah In 1972”
My Hilarious Father (with the magazine) and my Grandfather, Grandmother, and Uncle at His Bar Mitzvah in 1972 from OldSchoolCool
24. “My Father Halfway Through Motorcycling Across Africa – 1980s”
My Father halfway through motorcycling across Africa – 1980s from OldSchoolCool
25. “My Dad Taking A Smoking Break While Fighting Saddam Husseins Army In The 80s”
My dad taking a smoking break while fighting Saddam Husseins army in the 80s. from OldSchoolCool
26. “My Mom In The Hospital After Giving Birth To My Sister. Canada 1978. Smokes And Roasted Chicken.”
My mom in the hospital after giving birth to my sister. Canada 1978. Smokes and roasted chicken eh! from OldSchoolCool
27. “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)”
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) from OldSchoolCool
h/t: BoredPanda