Parents' photos show before-and-after transformation of having kids

Mike Julianelle,a blogger and father of two, is sharing the photos online.

ByABC News
October 19, 2017, 2:32 PM

— -- Mike Julianelle, a blogger and father of two, gained internet fame by posting photos of all the things kids can ruin, like when his kids turned a coffee table into a train set.

The 41-year-old Brooklyn dad, is now sharing photos on Instagram of how kids have changed the parents themselves.

Julianelle, who writes at DadandBuried.com, posted his own photo this month of how he looked in 2006, before having two kids, compared to 2016, after several years of raising two sons, who are now seven and one years old.

“It’s funny to make fun of yourself and kids and how much your life has changed and what they’ve done to you,” said Julianelle, who noted the change is also “obviously” because he aged.

PHOTO: Mike Juliannelle, 41, the author of Dadandburied.com, poses with his two sons in this undated family photo.
Mike Juliannelle, 41, the author of Dadandburied.com, poses with his two sons in this undated family photo.
PHOTO: Mike Juliannelle, 41, the author of Dadandburied.com, poses with his oldest son in this undated family photo.
Mike Juliannelle, 41, the author of Dadandburied.com, poses with his oldest son in this undated family photo.

Julianelle, who works full time as a marketing writer, said he has received hundreds of submissions from other parents to share on his Instagram page.

“People like to know they’re not alone,” said Julianelle, who started his blog as an antidote to the blogs portraying parenthood as perfect and complete joy. “It’s the solidarity of it and there’s a contingent of parents who like poking fun at the idea of parenthood.”

One of those parents, Kate Cortelyou, sent Julianelle her before-and-after photo.

Cortelyou, 32, from Nashville, said she finds herself “laughing out loud” at Julianelle’s take on parenthood. The before-and-after photos, she said, resonated with her experience.

“Sometimes I look in the mirror and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, who is this person,” said Cortelyou, who has a 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter with her husband, Justin.

PHOTO: Kate and Justin Cortelyou pose with their children, James, 3, and Anna, 1, in this undated handout photo.
Kate and Justin Cortelyou pose with their children, James, 3, and Anna, 1, in this undated handout photo.

“Not to say we never dress ourselves up but there are days, especially in the early days and with two toddlers, when you’ll go a week without showering and not even notice it,” she said. “These first several years of your kids’ life are just so dead exhausting.”

See below for more parents' before-and-after photos:

Related Topics