Credit: Reddit / cozminace[/caption]
The proliferation of the human race. We walk around conducting our daily lives and we are surrounded by it. Surrounded by the joyous faces and challenges that parenting entails as tiny humans are raised up until they can take control of their own destinies.
What many of us don't think about, however, when we look at a parent in the street, is how their lives and outward appearance have changed due to taking on the responsibility of those extra lives. What were they into and what did they do to pass the time in their own joyous youth? What did they look like before they chose to follow the parental path?
We may not have given it much thought but now, perhaps via this list, you will become all the more aware of how it all goes down!
[post_page_title] #1 Posing Isn't As Easy [/post_page_title]
Getting photos together all dressed up at a wedding or out on the town pre-debauchery as a couple is paramount or prolific as taking a breath these days. Pre-parenting, you'll find it easy. Post-parenting? Well...
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ZcD8cAgWb/
[/MediaContent]
This couple's comparison says it all really. It's all well and good when the little sprog co-operates... eventually. It's a long way to snap when your child pulls your hair, bada-da baa.
[post_page_title] #2 Relaxation Doesn't Necessarily End [/post_page_title]
It is true that many believe that any sort of "you time" and recreation ends when you have little of tiny humans and to be fair, it is common for these people to be right, however, below you shall see something quite the opposite.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2wiupngZO8/
[/MediaContent]
This dad may have had a long road unto his eventual R&R but despite traversing what seems like a minefield of his toddler's possessions, he has made it. Good on you sir.
[post_page_title] #3 Party Time With A Twist [/post_page_title]
Surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones and a little alco-booze never really gets old but when you become responsible for a growing life, the frequency of when you can do such things changes. That and the sort of shindigs you end up attending.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0q5XUzgu4r/
[/MediaContent]
"We're still cool, we still go to parties."
[post_page_title] #4 Lamenting A Past Life [/post_page_title]
Have you ever wondered what parents think about when they are palm deep in whatever surprise their bundle of joy has left them or when their toddlers are running around screaming and smearing paint everywhere?
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IsQZVACQj/
[/MediaContent]
This, it is very much sometimes, a lot of the time, maybe all of the time, this.
[post_page_title] #5 Sunbathing Destinations Are Altered [/post_page_title]
Relaxing in the hot sun in your holidays, vacation or simply a day off is often bliss and vitamin D is there for you. Vitamin doesn't discriminate, it will always be there for you.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0zlKSHAiVJ/
[/MediaContent]
This dad knows this and is living it, the setting might be a little off the interruptions more frequent but hey! The rays are being caught.
[post_page_title] #6 Heavy Lifting Is Significantly More Sentient [/post_page_title]
When you're sat there smiling, grinning maybe, having a good time and the hardest thing you have to lift is your drink then you're laughing, laughing away at how easy it all is.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0CvFSoAcEL/
[/MediaContent]
This parent not only looks exactly the same and just as happy but is doing an amazing job at her next weight-level. Keep going, they only get heavier!
[post_page_title] #7 Drinking Buddies Come and Go But Some You Help Grow [/post_page_title]
Uni, work, old friends, life has no shortage of those we drink with. It's often the best way to relax enjoy the company of those we value the most. And that is exactly the sentiment of this next parent.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYcjcAgz5Z/
[/MediaContent]
I hope they are still drinking together in twenty years, hopefully with different cups...
[post_page_title] #8 Selfies, Selfies Are Never The Same [/post_page_title]
Regardless of your opinion the selfie craze of the last decade, it's a thing, and it's never going away. In most instances of indeed most things, said things become easier things or do they.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzL-QHygR-T/
[/MediaContent]
I'm sure this started out well, a lovely photo with Mother and child. I'm it STARTED well. Black dress to tasty white mess.
[post_page_title] #9 Enthusiasm Is Harder to Maintain [/post_page_title]
I'm told time and time again that in the end, after all the hardship, that parenting is the most rewarding thing you can do.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tp8ZnggND/
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I believe it is eventually, but this mother clearly has a long way to go! Hang in there, the sleep will be waiting for you.
[post_page_title] #10 Here We Are Again, 'I Just Wanted A Nice Photo' [/post_page_title]
"Maybe we should get a photo of me and the baby, just like that time when I was-"
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxxdn6dh4Rk/
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So how did that go, Sarah? Babies: tiny photo-ruiners in cute clothing.
[post_page_title] #11 Keeping Things Close [/post_page_title]
This man had a passion for music. But as you grow, things change and you begin to nurture different things.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BxshKeFB3ES/
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It's not all bad, your favorite things just change.
[post_page_title] #12 She's off! [/post_page_title]
There she is, on the left looking forward to her holidays or maybe a romantic getaway. The housework is done, everything packed, a smile on her face - boom!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BxgISLZhT8h/
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She's off! One more lap of the house to go. Can her navigator make it to the finish line before naptime?!
[post_page_title] #13 Photographic Evidence Of Your Life Is Less Carefree [/post_page_title]
On the top deck, this man couldn't have a care in the world. Anyone checking his Facebook, Insta or whatever would see this and think, "Oh lucky him!"
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BxaZtdgBDl5/
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Now, a few years, onlookers gaze at the lower photo and think, "Hmmmmm" *pause* "OMG POOR HIM!"
Father: "Please just a two-minute reprieve, PLEASE!"
[post_page_title] #14 Sometimes, You Just Keep Smiling [/post_page_title]
From smiling while having a little blow-out, throwing shapes and have a good time to the happiest day of his life.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw28kV_hMfE/
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Sometimes the smiles keep coming and the shapes are passed down to the next generation who will throw them with even more vigor! Throw well baby-human, throw well.
[post_page_title] #15 That Idea We had Once [/post_page_title]
This next entry is another occupational hazard of motherhood. Hat's off to you madame but what that face is telling me is the realization that the idea of "having a few kids" seems so much less stressful in the Italian sun.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwpx7mOhZpN/
[/MediaContent]
Bloody Romans, what have they ever done for us?! "The Aquaduct" Oh, pipe down!
[post_page_title] #16 Life Of The Party [/post_page_title]
This mother may have been the life of the party away in the sun but there was so much more to it than having a little debaucherous fun.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BwpOzPChKYd/
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Her whole life has lead to this moment and by the heavens, she has smashed it.
[post_page_title] #17 Having Kids Means Getting All Appropriate [/post_page_title]
"WHEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY PARTTTTYYYYYYY TIIIMMMEEE! LET'S GET WASTEEEEDDDDDDDDDD!"
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BwXnDuvhBbu/
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"OHHHHHH IT'S COLD OUT THEREEEEE! BETTER WRAP-UP WARM AND MAKE SURE THE BABY IS NICE AND TOASTIEE!!! MARTURITYYYYYYYYYYY!"
Or something like that.
[post_page_title] #18 Always Follow Your Dreams, Literally. [/post_page_title]
Taking time for yourself is important and so is sleeping. If you can achieve both of these things in tandem then you're life-ing it just right. Just ask the dog-father.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwKZMDcDy-U/
[/MediaContent]
Parenting may change but mastering self-care alongside caring for those that depend on you is the goal.
[post_page_title] #19 Looking The Money To Looking Spent [/post_page_title]
This is another occupational hazard when you're having kids. Time for you becomes not a pass-time but a PAST time. This mother can't even find the time to sleep yet alone look the money anymore.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFzZF8DPyg/
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And you know what, that's ok but please get some sleep! The baby knows!
[post_page_title] #20 From Moosic To Mooooovve [/post_page_title]
This dad clearly enjoyed a good ho-down back in the day, but once you have kids, moving to the beat isn't always voluntary.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BvulOV9jhip/
[/MediaContent]
Get moooooving pappy. These little cattle-hands will be enjoying their own ho-down once pappa-cow is in the pen.
[post_page_title] #21 Getting Dressed Up Is More Regular [/post_page_title]
Getting dressed for a family event or wedding or just for any reason really can leave you with a huge boost to your self-esteem. You feel confident in all your finery and accomplished that what you chose feels good. However, it is also known that kids can be tiny little fashion-gurus.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvcBmjAjVym/
[/MediaContent]
Don't knock it dad-mate, that could be catwalk-chic soon enough!
[post_page_title] #22 Platinum Trophy Father Unit, Well Done [/post_page_title]
No caption...
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BvcBmjAjVym/
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...needed. *Heartwarming intensifies*.
[post_page_title] #23 Cheap and Cheerful Makeovers [/post_page_title]
There's nothing like a clean shave and or beard and hair cut, and I'm sure all men reading this will agree. I'm a bearded man and I look forward to it. This man clearly also prides himself following his regular groom, and when he was told it would soon wind-up cheaper, he was chuffed!
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4LaLYjd-t/
[/MediaContent]
Maybe it was too good to be true, maybe. Perhaps a little more market research wouldn't go a-miss next time, eh?
[post_page_title] #24 When Regicide Extends To Cuddles [/post_page_title]
This pooch-hound enjoyed his hegemony of the cuddle-world and clearly never thought it end. But one day, a human-pup was brought over the threshold and into the great hall.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuwyAKrjweJ/
[/MediaContent]
Life doesn't just change for the humans in a family you know. Good luck with the coup pouch-hound.
[post_page_title] #25 Late Nights Are Far More Tame [/post_page_title]
Out late, pounding some brews, smashing back a few tinnies, the endless nature of booze-related vernacular goes on but that actual physical act of it all may well change post-sprog.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUqo7XjDZi/
[/MediaContent]
Your go-to expressions change over time. Unfortunately, that's life.
[post_page_title] #26 Tours Of Duty Never End [/post_page_title]
This soldier dad's tour of duty has multiple missions, one after the other in a perpetual cycle and it prompts the question? Which of the two front is the toughest slog?
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdzIboDPc_/
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Likely the latter, but is it the most rewarding? Highly likely.
[post_page_title] #27 Wishful Thinking [/post_page_title]
This mother has gone from having her hands full in an advantageous position of care-free anticipation to something else entirely.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdzIboDPc_/
[/MediaContent]
She has gone from having the wine, to seriously wishing that what is more than likely in that babies under-garments is not a stinky surprise but a delicious boozey one.
[post_page_title] #28 Selfies Require More Organisation [/post_page_title]
Taking a selfie sometimes takes a minute or two to get the correct light, angle or location, but generally speaking, with just your or another full-size human, it isn't particularly difficult.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUt9TDj_cm/
[/MediaContent]
However, as you'd come to expect by now and can clearly see above, it's really not an easy task once the great game that is parenting has begun.
[post_page_title] #29 Altered Pass-Times [/post_page_title]
Fishing, a solitary past-time where you spend hours upon hours pursuing your catch of the day.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUt9TDj_cm/
[/MediaContent]
Parenting, rarely a solitary past-time where you spend hours upon hours being pursued by your catches of the day.
[post_page_title] #30 Meal Time Is More Of A Buffet [/post_page_title]
Hard day at work? Long day traveling? Absolutely ravenous? There could be a multitude of reasons why you would be looking forward to your lunch or dinner, but when you have children, sadly, your food is almost a point of interest.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfHB-3-nFb9/
[/MediaContent]
The facial expression of this dad may be a half-smile, but I can guess to a very high level of accuracy that seconds or thirds will be on the cards a little further away from his ravenous little vultures.
I wasn't that bad for my parents, was I?!
What many of us don’t think about when we look at a parent in the street is how their lives and outward appearance have changed since taking on the responsibility of having kids. What were they into and what did they do to pass the time in their own joyous youth? What did they look like before they chose to follow the parental path? We may not have given it much thought but now, you will become more aware of how it all goes down!
[post_page_title] #1 Posing Isn't As Easy [/post_page_title]
Getting photos together all dressed up at a wedding or out on the town pre-debauchery as a couple is paramount of prolific as taking a breath these days. Pre-parenting, you'll find it easy. Post-parenting? Well...
This couple's comparison says it all really. It's all well and good when the little sprog co-operates... eventually. It's a long way to snap when your child pulls your hair, bada-da baa.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #2 Relaxation Doesn't Necessarily End [/post_page_title]
It is true that many believe that any sort of "you time" and recreation ends when you have a little of tiny humans and to be fair, it is common for these people to be right, however, below you shall see something quite the opposite.
This dad may have had a long road unto his eventual R&R but despite traversing what seems like a minefield of his toddler's possessions, he has made it. Good on you sir.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #3 Party Time With A Twist [/post_page_title]
Surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones and a little alco-booze never really gets old but when you become responsible for a growing life, the frequency of when you can do such changes. That and the sort of shindigs you end up attending.
[post_page_title] #4 Lamenting A Past Life [/post_page_title]
Have you ever wondered what parents think about when they are palm deep in whatever surprise their bundle of joy has left them or when their toddlers are running around screaming and smearing paint everywhere?
This, it is very much sometimes, a lot of the time, maybe all of the time, this.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #5 Sunbathing Destinations Are Altered [/post_page_title]
Relaxing in the hot sun in your holidays, vacation or simply a day off is often bliss and vitamin D is there for you. Vitamin doesn't discriminate, it will always be there for you.
This dad knows this and is living it, the setting might be a little off the interruptions more frequent but hey! The rays are being caught.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #6 Heavy Lifting Is Significantly More Sentient [/post_page_title]
When you're sat there smiling, grinning maybe, having a good time and the hardest thing you have to lift is your drink then you're laughing, laughing away at how easy it all is.
This parent not only looks exactly the same and just as happy but is doing an amazing job at her next weight-level. Keep going, they only get heavier!
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #7 Drinking Buddies Come and Go But Some You Help Grow [/post_page_title]
Uni, work, old friends, life has no shortage of those we drink with. It's often the best way to relax enjoy the company of those we value the most. And that is exactly the sentiment of this next parent.
I hope they are still drinking together in twenty years, hopefully with different cups...
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #8 Selfies, Selfies Are Never The Same [/post_page_title]
Regardless of your opinion the selfie craze of the last decade, it's a thing, and it's never going away. In most instances of indeed most things, said things become easier things or do they.
There she is, on the left looking forward to her holidays or maybe a romantic getaway. The housework is done, everything packed, a smile on her face - boom!
Sometimes the smiles keep coming and the shapes are passed down to the next generation who will throw them with even more vigor! Throw well baby-human, throw well.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #15 That Idea We had Once [/post_page_title]
This next entry is another occupational hazard of motherhood. Hat's off to you madame but what that face is telling me is the realization that the idea of "having a few kids" seems so much less stressful in the Italian sun.
"OHHHHHH IT'S COLD OUT THEREEEEE! BETTER WRAP-UP WARM AND MAKE SURE THE BABY IS NICE AND TOASTIEE!!! MARTURITYYYYYYYYYYY!"
Or something like that.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #18 Always Follow Your Dreams, Literally. [/post_page_title]
Taking time for yourself is important and so is sleeping. If you can achieve both of these things in tandem then you're life-ing it just right. Just ask the dog-father.
Parenting may change but mastering self-care alongside caring for those that depend on you is the goal.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #19 Looking The Money To Looking Spent [/post_page_title]
This is another occupational hazard when you're having kids. Time for you becomes not a pass-time but a PAST time. This mother can't even find the time to sleep yet alone look the money anymore.
Get moooooving pappy. These little cattle-hands will be enjoying their own ho-down once pappa-cow is in the pen.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #21 Getting Dressed Up Is More Regular [/post_page_title]
Getting dressed for a family event or wedding or just for any reason really can leave you with a huge boost to your self-esteem. You feel confident in all your finery and accomplished that what you chose feels good. However, it is also known that kids can be tiny little fashion-gurus.
[post_page_title] #23 Cheap and Cheerful Makeovers [/post_page_title]
There's nothing like a clean shave and or beard and hair cut, and I'm sure all men reading this will agree. I'm a bearded man and I look forward to it. This man clearly also prides himself following his regular groom, and when he was told it would soon wind-up cheaper, he was chuffed!
Maybe it was too good to be true, maybe. Perhaps a little more market research wouldn't go a-miss next time, eh?
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #24 When Regicide Extends To Cuddles [/post_page_title]
This pooch-hound enjoyed his hegemony of the cuddle-world and clearly never thought it end. But one day, a human-pup was brought over the threshold and into the great hall.
Life doesn't just change for the humans in a family you know. Good luck with the coup pouch-hound.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #25 Late Nights Are Far More Tame [/post_page_title]
Out late, pounding some brews, smashing back a few tinnies, the endless nature of booze-related vernacular goes on but that actual physical act of it all may well change post-sprog.
Your go-to expressions change over time. Unfortunately, that's life.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #26 Tours Of Duty Never End [/post_page_title]
This soldier dad's tour of duty has multiple missions, one after the other in a perpetual cycle and it prompts the question? Which of the two front is the toughest slog?
She has gone from having the wine, to seriously wishing that what is more than likely in that babies under-garments is not a stinky surprise but a delicious boozey one.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #28 Selfies Require More Organisation [/post_page_title]
Taking a selfie sometimes takes a minute or two to get the correct light, angle or location, but generally speaking, with just your or another full-size human, it isn't particularly difficult.
Parenting, rarely a solitary past-time where you spend hours upon hours being pursued by your catches of the day.
[[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title] #30 Meal Time Is More Of A Buffet [/post_page_title]
Hard day at work? Long day traveling? Absolutely ravenous? There could be a multitude of reasons why you would be looking forward to your lunch or dinner, but when you have children, sadly, your food is almost a point of interest.
The facial expression of this dad may be a half-smile, but I can guess to a very high level of accuracy that seconds or thirds will be on the cards a little further away from his ravenous little vultures.
No matter which walk of life you're on at the moment, I think one of life's universal truths is that parenting is one of the most fulfilling and transformative things you can do as a human being. Some people aren't as open to it while others view having kids as an imperative to their adult lives, but we can all agree that nothing is the same once you hold that squishy little one for the first time.
Of course, the changes are way more than skin deep, but that doesn't mean that becoming a mom or a dad has no effect on the way you look. Parenting is full of sleepless nights and stressful days, and when you combine that with the relentless sands of time, it's no surprise that people look a little different after a few years of taking care of their kids. The Instagram page @gottoddlered invited the internet to share their before-and-after photos, and if you're a parent, you might be able to recognize the hollow expressions in each of these parents' eyes.
15. Here's the one that started it all off! How 10 years makes a difference...
[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BaKCcR1lYCo/?taken-by=gottoddlered]]
Okay, parents: I hope you guys got a laugh out of these photos. Just goes to show, really: no matter how bad it gets, it's reassuring to know that there are literally tons of other parents in that same position, and there's no shame in feeling a little exhausted from time to time. You're doing great work bringing up the next generation of wonderful human beings.
Just remember: one day, your kids will be adults , maybe even parents too, and you can have fun watching them suffer like you did.
Childhood photos serve a sentimental purpose in both our and our parents' lives. While to the majority of us childhood pictures are there purely to embarrass us and make us cringe, for our parents, they capture the moments before their children changed, the moments when their babies were pure and innocent beings. As time moves on and hormones begin to kick in - causing spots and mood swings - parents need those childhood photos to remind them of why they loved their children.
But for us children in the photos, they represent something of a throwback. They capture a time forgotten and, for that reason, people like to re-create their childhood photo in the present day. Photobox, the personalised printing pros, can take your childhood photos (or even better, your recreations) and print them onto gifts like canvases, photo books and mugs.
And thanks to the power of the internet, we can now marvel at the best recreations ever made. Take a look at some of the best below.
1. Some things never change... mainly mom's hair colour
2. What a pair of posers
3. 15 years later and they've realised feet are gross
4. Trick or treat?
5. A new way of eating ice cream
6. I hope he didn't let the kid drive
7. Me after three beers
8. There's a lot of yellow in these photos
9. Man's best friend
10. What a pair of cuties... oh.
11. Family love-in
12. Saving some for later
13. The tallest is now the smallest and the smallest the tallest
I'm sure you agree that some of these are simply incredible. Childhood photos are a stalwart of family life, and with Mother's Day coming up, why not use it as a time to remind your parents of how pure and beautiful you used to be?
Dads. What a phenomenon they are. In a matter of years, dads have gone from the most annoying member of your family, to a social media icon. A few years ago, the jokes/stories/advice that dads gave out, served simply to wind you up. Now, they are bits of gold that quickly become viral on social media. Whether it's fathers trying to work out a new bit of technology, or simply just telling crap jokes: "Your mother told me to stop singing Wonderwall. I said maybeeeee", dads are now internet heros.
So, in celebration of our fathers, we've compiled a list of dads who are absolutely smashing this parenting thing. Take a look at these 14 dads who are doing parenting right (or wrong, I cant tell).
1. That's one way to stop your kid from running away
2. Peek-a-boo!
3. Here, let me get that for you
4. Yep, looks safe
5. Quick, there's a quarter in there!
6. Start them early
7. THIS. IS. SPARTAAAAAA!
8. Go on, hit it as hard as you can
9. The most nutritional baby food
10. Never skip leg day
11. That's one way to pick them up
12. Cutest n00b ever?
13. Nice view
14. Like father like son
There we have it, 14 dads who know exactly how to be a parent. Some of these are absolutely incredible. No doubt these guys will be getting in trouble with the mothers once they see these, but hey, what's parenting about if you can't have a little fun along the way?
Women. We are fascinating creatures. We are mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, friends, employees, politicians, etc. There are so many labels that a woman can have in our modern world. But most importantly, we are individuals. We are all smart and beautiful and creative in all our own individual ways. Now, there is an Instagram page dedicated to the everyday woman. It is called womenirl, and it is dedicated to uplifting women everywhere by sharing our raw, everyday moments.
[post_page_title]Helping Hands[/post_page_title]
One woman, Natasha Crittenden Wilson wrote on her Facebook, "I was in the waiting room at the doc office today and this lady walked in with her sleeping baby! They handed her paperwork to do & as she was sitting there trying to figure out how to hold her sleeping baby while filling out the paperwork, this man, from across the room, ask's [sic] her if she would like for him to hold her baby while she did her paperwork!! She smiled and said that would be wonderful!! This man went over there and rocked and loved on that baby like he was his!!"
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpz62ZfhYew/
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[post_page_title]Moms Helping Moms[/post_page_title]
All moms are well aware of the challenges of having kids. So when one woman, Rebecca Patterson, was struggling in the grocery store to do her shopping as well as manage her 2-year-old child, another shopper Tiffany jumped to help.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgzYF6LHeqt/
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[post_page_title]Shout Out to Women Trying[/post_page_title]
It is no secret that women are held to impossibly high beauty standards these days. Especially, after having given birth, some people expect women to bounce back to their pre-pregnancy bodies like it was nothing. But our bodies are never the same and that's ok. We just created a life.
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz86SMUDky4/
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[post_page_title]Double the Trouble[/post_page_title]
As user @amy_exercisingbalance captioned this photo, "My hubby snapped this pic as I fell asleep sitting up, breastfeeding our 2 week old twins. Exhausted doesn’t fully describe this experience as I was healing from 2 types of births (Baby A vaginal, Baby B cesarean) and my body is working non-freaking-stop to make all the milk for these boys."
[MediaContent]
https://www.instagram.com/p/B09Y8HYDvtS/
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[post_page_title]Covering Up[/post_page_title]
As one woman, Carol Lockwood wrote in a post, "A friend’s daughter-in-law was told to 'cover up' while feeding her baby, so she did. I’m SO over people shaming women for nursing." And we agree.
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[post_page_title]Surprise[/post_page_title]
Probably one of the best pictures, this one captures the surprise on a woman's face. She thought she was going to give birth to another daughter, and this is her face when she finds out it was actually a boy.
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[post_page_title]Single and Doesn't Care to Mingle[/post_page_title]
Women are often defined by their age and who they have in their life. When women hit 30, it suddenly becomes this tragic age as it signifies that they're near death's door. And if they're not married and childless, well, that's the tragic cherry on top of a s**t sundae. And sadly, some women buy into it because they have had it so ingrained into their mind by society.
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[post_page_title]Beautiful Bodies[/post_page_title]
This picture gave me chills. The sign that the mom is holding is so true that it hurts. How many times do we pass a magazine stand with all the latest celeb gossip magazines or women's health magazines, and all you read is how to get your body back after pregnancy?
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[post_page_title]Postpartum Tummy[/post_page_title]
Someone had actually said to this mom these exact words: "disgusting, I don’t know what husband would ever want to come home to that." What the actual F***?! Carrying a kid is not easy on the body. Women these days really have to face a lot of unfair pressures to get their bodies back to where they were when they were 20, single, and childless.
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[post_page_title]Cellulite[/post_page_title]
Cellulite isn't just something that appears on unfit people who never exercise and pack on the pounds. It appears on people who go to the gym and keep fit too. Yet somehow, there is such a sense of shame attached to it. This woman posted the picture of herself after she witnessed a man shamed another woman for having cellulite. I mean, can men please stop freaking out over cellulite? Beauty is beauty regardless of a little cellulite.
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[post_page_title]Like Mother, Like Baby[/post_page_title]
Any mom knows that when your baby sleeps, it's probably a good idea to take advantage of that quiet and sleep themselves. My mom definitely was the master of the art of napping when I was a sleeping baby.
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[post_page_title]Multitasking[/post_page_title]
Can moms do it all at once and be super moms? Absolutely. This picture is proof that you can feed your baby and get some much-needed sleep all at once. You go super mom. This picture was quite popular among many other mothers who could relate in many ways. One mom commented, "And this is exactly why we as mothers should never judge other mothers."
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[post_page_title]30 Years on Earth[/post_page_title]
"No babies. No weight fluctuations. Just a girl who’s lived 30 years and got something to show for it," that is how this picture was captioned. While it is wonderful to see so many moms juggling the everyday struggles of the adventure known as motherhood, we also can't forget other women.
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[post_page_title]Mom of Triplets[/post_page_title]
Carrying a baby gets pretty heavy. We hear from moms saying all the time how heavy it get towards the end and how everything swells and gets uncomfortable. Now times that by two when you're a mom carrying triplets. That has got to be the most uncomfortable thing ever.
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Credit: Instagram / womenirl[/caption]
[post_page_title]Working Mom[/post_page_title]
Motherhood in our society is a catch-22. You hear a lot of people criticizing women for not staying home with their kids, or criticizing those that want to stay home with their kids for not being independent enough. It's like they can never win. This mom wrote, "Sometimes I hear the rare negative comment about my decision to go to school instead of being home full time with my kids. It’s hard to not get offended at these comments."
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[post_page_title]Baby Belly[/post_page_title]
This mom knows full well the labors of having kids. She has had five. It never gets easier, and it's always a journey that has its reminders left on the skin. This mom wrote, "Yes, I do I have a valley of lines mapped across my belly, mountains of stretched skin left over my mid section, lightning bolts on my sides and back, all signs that I carried life inside of me.... five times!"
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[post_page_title]Postpartum Letter to Self[/post_page_title]
Besides society telling moms how their bodies should look after giving birth, moms can sometimes be rather hard on themselves regarding their postpartum bodies. Probably because they've internalized all the negativity surrounding women's post-pregnancy bodies all their lives.
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[post_page_title]Body Positivity[/post_page_title]
Blogger Sarah Nicole Landry said in her recent Instagram post, “Stop worrying so much about not looking like you’re a brand new and shiny human. Because you’re not. You’ve lived. Loved. Experienced. Your body in its own way will show itself through those memories. Whether you live it out shabby chic or get refinished, it doesn’t matter. Because ultimately you are something that has grown in worth, not lessened. Not one bit.”
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[post_page_title]Instagram versus Reality[/post_page_title]
Instagram influencer Rini Frey perfectly demonstrates the illusion of the perfect body by letting us see her at all angles, even the unflattering ones. “Most of them don’t represent reality and if they do, it doesn’t mean that these bodies belong to a healthy and happy human,” she wrote. “It’s just what we are made to believe, but it’s mostly not true.”
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[post_page_title]Mom of Two[/post_page_title]
The picture-perfect set of two kids do not exist. Oh, wait, yes, it does. It's basically any mom with her two kids. As one social media user on Instagram commented, "What's super impressive is that you can handle all that and the phone with a smile. Great picture." Another person commented, "Reality can be beautiful." And it is so true.
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[post_page_title]Breast Feeding for the Win[/post_page_title]
I don't have kids myself, but I can only imagine that it must be such a powerful feeling of so many emotions when your baby latches on for the first time, as well as the last time. And that is what this mom captured with her two photos. The first time she breastfed her daughter, as well as the last time that she did. And the emotion is written clearly across her face in both.
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[post_page_title]Postpartum Depression/post_page_title]
Coping with postpartum depression is something that a lot of people forget about as part of the birth process. My mom struggled badly with it in the months after I was born. Mental health, especially after birth, needs more attention drawn to it. As part of her post, this mom wrote, "Mamas out there, let's recognize how to deal with these feelings and know how to treat them. I'm here to tell you, it's not you... It's PPD. Let's talk!”
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[post_page_title]Finding the Courage[/post_page_title]
It takes a lot of courage to fully embrace the body you've been given, especially when it has gone through the changes of pregnancy, and you've been used to hearing the negativity of people believing that a mother needs to bounce back asap after giving birth.
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[post_page_title]One Week Postpartum[/post_page_title]
Ever since 2013 when Kate Middleton bravely showed her postpartum figure to the world only hours after giving birth, more women seem to be embracing their postpartum figure in pictures.
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[post_page_title]C-Section Scars[/post_page_title]
Everyone makes it seem like women need to hide the scars of birth. But there shouldn't be shame in showing off a C-Section scar. All it means is that you've had a baby. This mom was very proud to show off her scar. A commentator had the perfect response to her post saying, "Scars are tattoos with better stories."
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[post_page_title]Breastfeeding on the Runway[/post_page_title]
When a baby is hungry, it's hungry and you have to feed it no matter where you happen to me. This mom happened to do it while strutting down the runway. Talk about a badass mom. We have nothing but respect for this.
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[post_page_title]Bad Mom[/post_page_title]
Everyone has an opinion about how mothers should behave or how they should act when raising children. Motherhood is a discovery that each and every woman who chooses it must discover for herself. This mom was annoyed by everyone having an opinion on what she needs to do as a mother. She decided to post a list of everything that she has been criticized for.
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[post_page_title]Stay-at-Home Mom[/post_page_title]
Everyone thinks that being a stay-at-home mom is a fun and easy life. It's actually not. It's a lot of hard work that goes unappreciated by your husband and kids a lot of the time.
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[post_page_title]Pro Runner's Postpartum Body[/post_page_title]
A pro-runner has decided to show off the reality of her postpartum body. And this is 3 years later. There is no rule as to how or what a woman's body is going to look like after giving birth. Everyone is different. And everyone should just embrace what they have been given.
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[post_page_title]Don't Count Calories[/post_page_title]
Self-indulgence. As women, we often feel guilty when we eat or drink whatever we are feeling like. We worry about how it's going to show up on our bodies later, instead of just enjoying it. The world could end tomorrow, do you really want to regret not eating that third taco?
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