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Whether we like it or not, most of us will become our parents one way or another - from something as small as the way they laugh or maybe something as profound as the same career path. Some of us crumble at the notion that we could share similarities with our less hip parents - but for the kids of the parents in these vintage photos, the levels of cool exuding from their older generation are something they can only hope to aspire to.

Bored Panda presents a new photo list of times kids came across old photos of their parents only to realize their parents were cooler than them. So scroll down below to check out some old-school photo treasures and upvote your favs. Maybe it will inspire you to ask your own cool parents to show you what they were like when they were young!

Discover more in 30 Times Kids Realized Their Parents Were Cooler Than Them

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#1

My Favorite Picture Of My Mom. She Was The Only Girl In Her Welding Class In 1984. Byrd High School, Shreveport, Louisiana

Group of workers posing outside a building, showing a cool vintage moment of kids realizing their parents were cooler.

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Generational differences - sometimes it's hard to get an explanation of what the older generations were thinking other than "It was a different time." Progress is great but what are some things older people may miss about their youth? First we have the style. There is a reason we love shopping at vintage stores - because compared with the some of the looks of today our parents had some pretty cool looks. But when did Americans decide to trade in their tailored slacks for leggings? Casual fashion went through many milestones to reach where it is today but in 1966 James Laver, a renowned historian of dress, told a group of fashion industry executives, “Clothes of the sexes are beginning to overlap and coincide.” 

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    #2

    My Mom Flew Helicopters For The Army In The 80s

    Woman pilot wearing helmet and headset inside a helicopter cockpit showing kids how cool their parents can be.

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    #3

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

    Teen girl performing a handstand on a skateboard outdoors, showcasing a cool and impressive skill kids admire.

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    Millennials may think they are the most connected generation with all of the various media platforms but this has caused less trust and isolation among these young people. According a survey 56 per cent of those aged 22 to 37 would trust an ordinary person in the street to tell the truth, compared to 77 per cent of baby boomers."Levels of social trust have been argued to be a strong predictor of national economic growth, levels of life satisfaction and suicide rates," it says. 

    #4

    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

    Group of soldiers riding military vehicles in a rural area, illustrating moments kids realized their parents were cooler than them

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    #5

    My Dad At His First Job At Nasa!

    Man in a vintage office setting in 1986, dressed in a suit and tie, showing coolness beyond kids' expectations.

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    We all have our vices - but maybe the younger generation has healthier ones. With anti-smoking campaigns like 'truth' smoking isn't as widely accepted and definitely not depicted in the 50's Mad Men style way. Our parents grew up in a different time though, for example ot wasn't until the 1990s that smoking on airplanes was banned completely.

    #6

    Chuck Norris Pinned By My Dad

    Father and son playfully wrestling on a couch, showing a fun moment that proves parents are cooler than kids realize.

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    #7

    My Dad And His Veterinarian Mother, With Their Pet Lion Which They Raised For Two Years, 1959

    Child and parent with a lion cub outdoors, showing moments kids realized their parents were cooler than them.

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    Hipsters may think that they are a step ahead of the rest with their beards and man buns - but just as it is with their vintage fashion sense they must pay their respects to the pioneers of long hair fashion. Long locks on both men and women became a trendy look in the 1960s and 1970s, Before that you would have been side-eyed for your unruly mane.

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    #8

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

    People swimming and jumping off a submarine showing cool moments kids realized their parents were cooler than them

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    #9

    My Mom Holding Myself Whilst Writing Her Master Thesis On The Macintosh Classic II (1991)

    Black and white photo of a parent working at a computer while holding a baby, showing kids realizing their parents were cooler.

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    Want to know why your parents are cooler than you? Because the things we think are trendy now began back in their day. Walk into any Urban Outfitters and you will see walls with vinyl records and record players. Well vinyl records were created in the 1950's and your parents definitely weren't using these discs for decoration - anyone feel like listening to the Beatles?

    #10

    My Mom Was A Homicide Detective In The 80s

    Woman in vintage business attire sitting confidently in office chair, showcasing parents cooler than kids style vibe.

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    #11

    My Parents In 1972 In Front Of Their Store In Paris

    Woman in vintage outfit and platform boots leaning to talk to man sitting outside boutique, showing cool vintage style vibes.

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    #12

    1969 Vietnam: My Father’s Version Of A Selfie Before Selfies Were A Thing

    Pilot wearing helmet and sunglasses reflected in aircraft mirror, showing a cool moment kids might admire about their parents.

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    #13

    My Dad A Zoo Keeper In 1992

    Man wearing a cowboy hat petting a horse behind a metal gate, showcasing a moment kids realize parents were cooler.

    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.

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    #14

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

    Man with long hair and sunglasses sitting on a vintage motorcycle by a lake showing parents are cooler than kids.

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    #15

    My Mom As A Red Cross Volunteer In WWII. She Had Her Own Radio Show In The Pacific Theater To Counteract Tokyo Rose. 1944

    Vintage portrait of a smiling woman in an American Red Cross uniform, showing a cooler parent from kids' perspective.

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    #16

    My Dad's Graduation Photo. Circa 1970's

    Man in a white suit and top hat sitting in a field with a dog, showcasing a cool and confident parent moment.

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    #17

    Mom Spinning Records At Kwkh, Shreveport - 1977

    Woman in vintage radio studio surrounded by audio equipment showing cool parents vibe from kids perspective.

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    #18

    Pretty Rad Picture Of My Dad When He Was 22, In Texas, Taken In 1987. That Ghettoblaster Is Epic

    Black and white photo of a man with a large vintage boombox, showcasing cool retro style kids realized their parents had.

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    #19

    My Mom Fled Saigon In 1975. By The 90s, She Had Joined The US Air Force

    Woman in military uniform with service ribbons and rank insignia, showing a cool parent from kids realizing moments.

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    #20

    My Father Halfway Through Motorcycling Across Africa - 1980s

    Man with a dusty leather jacket smiling while sitting on a motorcycle, showcasing parents cooler than kids moments.

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    #21

    My Dad Fishing... On A Nuclear Submarine 1966

    Man fishing on a boat wearing a hat, showing a cool parent moment by the ocean under a blue sky.

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    #22

    My Mom In The Hospital After Giving Birth To My Sister. Canada 1978. Smokes And Roasted Chicken

    Woman smiling in bed holding a cigarette with food tray nearby, showing a cool parent moment kids admired.

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