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These People's Parents Used To Be Super Cool Back In The Day, And They Have Photo Proof Of It

If you think that one of your parents is cool, you're about to be disappointed.

These People's Parents Used To Be Super Cool Back In The Day, And They Have Photo Proof Of It

Old photos have a way of making parents look even cooler than their kids ever expected, and this Reddit roundup is full of exactly that kind of proof. From motorcycles and skateboards to rock bands, protest signs, and wild vintage outfits, these snapshots show parents in their prime.

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The posts come from r/OldSchoolCool, where Reddit users shared pictures of their moms and dads back when they were living loud, looking sharp, and sometimes doing things that sound almost too cool to be real. A few of them are so good they practically steal the whole show.

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Scroll through, because some of these parents had serious style long before the family photo albums got opened again.

1. "My Mama Circa '83. This Explains Why I'm The Uncoolest Person Ever, Because She Took It All! Oh, And That Bike? She Built It"

1. "My Mama Circa '83. This Explains Why I'm The Uncoolest Person Ever, Because She Took It All! Oh, And That Bike? She Built It"reddit.com
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2. "Mid to Late 1970s, My Dad Graduating a Class Taught By Chuck Norris"

2. "Mid to Late 1970s, My Dad Graduating a Class Taught By Chuck Norris"reddit.com
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3. "My Dad Taking a Selfie, Using a Piece of Wood to Activate the Shutter, Circa 1957"

3. "My Dad Taking a Selfie, Using a Piece of Wood to Activate the Shutter, Circa 1957"reddit.com

That old-school confidence is doing a lot of work here.

Nostalgia plays a significant role in how we perceive our past, particularly regarding our parents.

4. "My Mom at 16 Years Old with Her Camaro in 1975"

4. "My Mom at 16 Years Old with Her Camaro in 1975"imgur.com

5. "My Mom and Dad Building Their House in 1953. My Mom (91 Now) Still Lives There"

5. "My Mom and Dad Building Their House in 1953. My Mom (91 Now) Still Lives There"reddit.com

6. "My Dad Skateboarding at Hyde School 1982. I Think He Was Cooler Than Me"

6. "My Dad Skateboarding at Hyde School 1982. I Think He Was Cooler Than Me"reddit.com

Some of these photos make the family resemblance impossible to ignore.

Moreover, social psychologists have found that comparing our current selves to an idealized version of our parents can lead to feelings of inadequacy. Recognizing these patterns is essential for fostering self-compassion and understanding that everyone evolves over time.

Engaging in conversations about shared memories can help mitigate these feelings, allowing individuals to appreciate their parents' complexities and imperfections.

7. "My Dad in Saudi Arabia in the '70s Working as a U.S. Military Contractor Diving in the Red Sea"

7. "My Dad in Saudi Arabia in the '70s Working as a U.S. Military Contractor Diving in the Red Sea"reddit.com

8. "My Dad's First Car, a 1939 Ford. He Bought It with His Own Money That He Earned While Farming. He Was 11 When He Bought It, So This Photo Was Taken in 1948"

8. "My Dad's First Car, a 1939 Ford. He Bought It with His Own Money That He Earned While Farming. He Was 11 When He Bought It, So This Photo Was Taken in 1948"reddit.com

9. "France, 1985. My Mom Feeding Me Backstage During a Ballet Dancing Show"

9. "France, 1985. My Mom Feeding Me Backstage During a Ballet Dancing Show"reddit.com

The generational gap is part of what makes these posts so fun.

Generational differences can lead to varying perspectives on parenting styles and life choices.

10. "Mom Wasn't the Pilot, But She Was a Tech on the F-4 Phantom Back in the '80s"

10. "Mom Wasn't the Pilot, But She Was a Tech on the F-4 Phantom Back in the '80s"reddit.com

11. "My Mom, 1954. She Came to America in 1948 at Age 18. She Hardly Spoke English and Was Looked Down On Because She Was German and a War Bride. She Later Did Some Modeling - This Is Just One of Many Beautiful Photos We Have of Her"

11. "My Mom, 1954. She Came to America in 1948 at Age 18. She Hardly Spoke English and Was Looked Down On Because She Was German and a War Bride. She Later Did Some Modeling - This Is Just One of Many Beautiful Photos We Have of Her"reddit.com

12. "My Dad Was a Popstar in Argentina. Here He Is with Ella Fitzgerald, Mid-1960s"

12. "My Dad Was a Popstar in Argentina. Here He Is with Ella Fitzgerald, Mid-1960s"reddit.com

And yes, a few of these parents absolutely had star power.

To enhance communication between generations, it’s crucial to approach conversations with an open mind and a willingness to listen. Engaging in active listening can help individuals understand their parents' perspectives, fostering a sense of connection. Additionally, sharing personal experiences can create a mutual understanding of generational differences.

Family therapy or facilitated discussions can also provide a safe space for exploring these dynamics, helping to bridge gaps and promote healing.

13. "My Dad and a Tiny Kitten Looking Like a Modern Hipster in the Early 1980s"

13. "My Dad and a Tiny Kitten Looking Like a Modern Hipster in the Early 1980s"imgur.com

14. "My Mother Skateboarding Barefoot in California, 1974"

14. "My Mother Skateboarding Barefoot in California, 1974"imgur.com

15. "My Dad and Friends Look Like the Cast of Stranger Things (1982)"

15. "My Dad and Friends Look Like the Cast of Stranger Things (1982)"reddit.com

Also, this echoes the debate over whether to exclude a sibling from caring for an aging parent, if it causes family tension.

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

16. "My Dad's Graduation Photo. Circa 1970s"imgur.com

17. "My Dad and His Partner While They Were Undercover. This Picture Was Taken After They Stopped a Bank Robbery in the Late '70s"

17. "My Dad and His Partner While They Were Undercover. This Picture Was Taken After They Stopped a Bank Robbery in the Late '70s"reddit.com

18. "I Always Knew My Mom Was a Tough Lady. Photo Taken Circa 1985"

18. "I Always Knew My Mom Was a Tough Lady. Photo Taken Circa 1985"reddit.com

19. "My Mom Would Always Talk About How She Was an Editor for Tiger Beat Magazine When She Was a Teenager in the 1960s. She Would Brag About Spending Time with the Stones and the Beatles. We Always Thought She Was Telling Tall Tales. I Uncovered This Pic While Cleaning Out Her House Last Week"

19. "My Mom Would Always Talk About How She Was an Editor for Tiger Beat Magazine When She Was a Teenager in the 1960s. She Would Brag About Spending Time with the Stones and the Beatles. We Always Thought She Was Telling Tall Tales. I Uncovered This Pic While Cleaning Out Her House Last Week"reddit.com

20. "Me Looking Up to My Fighter Pilot Dad in the Late 1980s"

20. "Me Looking Up to My Fighter Pilot Dad in the Late 1980s"reddit.com

21. "My Mom's All-Girl Rock Band in the '60s"

21. "My Mom's All-Girl Rock Band in the '60s"reddit.com

22. "My Mom at 18 Years Old Protesting the KKK in 1976 Atlanta, GA"

22. "My Mom at 18 Years Old Protesting the KKK in 1976 Atlanta, GA"reddit.com

23. "My Dad (Left) Looking Like a Young Luke Skywalker, Chile, 1977"

23. "My Dad (Left) Looking Like a Young Luke Skywalker, Chile, 1977"reddit.com

24. "My Dad Sculpting a Bust of My Mom, 1980s"

24. "My Dad Sculpting a Bust of My Mom, 1980s"imgur.com

25. "My Dad Made Anything Look Cool (1981)"

25. "My Dad Made Anything Look Cool (1981)"reddit.com

26. "My Mom and Bob Ross During an Event in Central Park, NYC in 1989"

26. "My Mom and Bob Ross During an Event in Central Park, NYC in 1989"reddit.com

27. "Mom, Circa 1970, After Completing Her Master's, the First Woman in Her Family to Do So"

27. "Mom, Circa 1970, After Completing Her Master's, the First Woman in Her Family to Do So"reddit.com

28. "My Mom and Arnold on a Date in the '70s"

28. "My Mom and Arnold on a Date in the '70s"reddit.com

29. "My Mom Immigrated to the U.S. from Iran in November 1978. Here She Is Dressed as Wonder Woman a Year Later"

29. "My Mom Immigrated to the U.S. from Iran in November 1978. Here She Is Dressed as Wonder Woman a Year Later"reddit.com

30. "My Mom Was a Boston Park Ranger in the '80s"

30. "My Mom Was a Boston Park Ranger in the '80s"reddit.com

31. "My Dad at the 1966 International Science Fair. He Was a Finalist in '65, '66, and '67. In This Picture, He Created a Perfusion System to Keep a Rat Kidney Alive When Removed from the Body, Like a Heart-Lung Machine"

31. "My Dad at the 1966 International Science Fair. He Was a Finalist in '65, '66, and '67. In This Picture, He Created a Perfusion System to Keep a Rat Kidney Alive When Removed from the Body, Like a Heart-Lung Machine"reddit.com

32. "My Cool Mom Partying with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal in LA, 1982"

32. "My Cool Mom Partying with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal in LA, 1982"reddit.com

33. "My Dad Showing Mr. Rogers the Process of Designing Toys on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (1986)"

33. "My Dad Showing Mr. Rogers the Process of Designing Toys on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (1986)"reddit.com

34. "Late 1960s, My Dad"

34. "Late 1960s, My Dad"reddit.com

35. "My Mom in '78, Glendale, CA. Newly Immigrated from Japan and Working Her Butt Off - But Still Managed to Save Up and Buy This Chevy Impala for $500"

35. "My Mom in '78, Glendale, CA. Newly Immigrated from Japan and Working Her Butt Off - But Still Managed to Save Up and Buy This Chevy Impala for $500"reddit.com

36. "My Dad Taking a Smoking Break While Fighting Saddam Hussein's Army in the '80s"

36. "My Dad Taking a Smoking Break While Fighting Saddam Hussein's Army in the '80s"reddit.com

37. "Mom’s Senior Portrait That My Grandma Refused to Let Her Publish in the Yearbook (1976)"

37. "Mom’s Senior Portrait That My Grandma Refused to Let Her Publish in the Yearbook (1976)"reddit.com

38. "My Pregnant Mom at Gunpoint Trying to Get Home. May 1969, Berkeley"

38. "My Pregnant Mom at Gunpoint Trying to Get Home. May 1969, Berkeley"reddit.com

39. "My Mother When She Was a Tank Instructor in 1984"

39. "My Mother When She Was a Tank Instructor in 1984"reddit.com

40. "Found This Old Picture of My Dad from Back in 1976. I Feel Like the Picture Captures an Awful Lot and Tells a Story"

40. "Found This Old Picture of My Dad from Back in 1976. I Feel Like the Picture Captures an Awful Lot and Tells a Story"reddit.com

41. "After Their First Fight, My Dad Apologized to My Mom Through Polaroids. The True OG of Apologies, My Man (1987)"

41. "After Their First Fight, My Dad Apologized to My Mom Through Polaroids. The True OG of Apologies, My Man (1987)"reddit.com

42. "My Mom Voting for the First Time in a Presidential Election in 1972 in Indiana, PA"

42. "My Mom Voting for the First Time in a Presidential Election in 1972 in Indiana, PA"reddit.com

43. "My Mom Working as a DJ, Late 1970s"

43. "My Mom Working as a DJ, Late 1970s"reddit.com

44. "My Mom Looking Like a Queen on Her Wedding Day 1979"

44. "My Mom Looking Like a Queen on Her Wedding Day 1979"reddit.com

45. "My Mom in the Early '90s. She Painted Her Own Shield"

45. "My Mom in the Early '90s. She Painted Her Own Shield"reddit.com

46. "My Parents When They Were 16 and 17 (1987). They’ve Been Together for 34 Years Now"

46. "My Parents When They Were 16 and 17 (1987). They’ve Been Together for 34 Years Now"reddit.com

47. "My Dad 1969 Bronx, NY. Speaking Against the Vietnam War"

47. "My Dad 1969 Bronx, NY. Speaking Against the Vietnam War"reddit.com

48. "48 Beers and a Unicycle. My Dad in the Early '80s"

48. "48 Beers and a Unicycle. My Dad in the Early '80s"reddit.com

49. "My Dad in the Late '80s / Early '90s. One of the First Rockers in China"

49. "My Dad in the Late '80s / Early '90s. One of the First Rockers in China"reddit.com

50. "My Dad Wasn't Famous, But His Moves Were Pretty Cool (1977)"

50. "My Dad Wasn't Famous, But His Moves Were Pretty Cool (1977)"reddit.com

These family photos make the past feel a lot less ordinary.

For more family drama, see what happened when someone questioned their mom’s close friendship with the neighbor.

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