Picture day at school can be stressful for students and parents alike. Moms anguish over finding the perfect outfit for their kids. They wonder whether their child is due for a haircut. They repeatedly remind their kiddos to smile for the camera.
Sometimes, however, things don’t go as planned. Parents forget what day the photographer is coming to school (or kids forget to bring home a note about picture day). Windy playgrounds and recess result in unkempt hairdos. And on occasion, children simply don’t participate as expected.
While the resulting portrait packages might not be as perfect as planned, they are certainly memorable. And isn’t that all that really counts? Here are some examples of school photos that might have made moms and dads thankful for retake day.
Over It
Even first graders can have rough days. Being expected to cheese it up for school photos on top of everything else can sometimes be too much to ask for.
Mom Libbie Longfield shared this photo of her little girl, writing, “I usually don’t post about Lillie but I had to share her first grade picture.”
Don’t worry, Lillie. We’ve all felt that way.
When You Get What You Ask For
You’ve got to love a kid who tries. This little guy was only trying to do what the photographer asked him to do.
“My son Zack,” writes Instagram user @clangfield. “The photographer told him to ‘show his teeth.’”
Was I Supposed To Remember Something?
When you neglect to check the school calendar and you just can’t shake that feeling that you’re forgetting something.
“Not only did I forget it was picture day,” posted Courtney Cameron, “my son also decided to strike the Mighty Eagle pose from Angry Birds.”
#NoFilter
One of the awesome attributes of younger kids is that they don’t hide how they really feel. Tracy Beck Fauntleroy shared school pics of her daughter Sadie that illustrate this personality quirk perfectly.
“School pictures,” Tracy posted. “Nailed it!!”
Just Be Yourself… Or A Dinosaur
One of those phrases parents everywhere find themselves using is “Just be yourself.” Some kids listen to this advice, while others prefer to be something else.
“She said she was being a dinosaur,” posted Amanda Morrison, who shared this memorable pic.
Say ‘Cheese!’
Seventh grade is difficult enough to navigate without the added pressure of school picture day. The photographer snapping the photo just as you open your mouth to say “Cheese” seems like Murphy’s Law in action.
“Duke / 7th grade / enough said,” @rachgharris81 shared on Instagram.
Unexpectedly Adorable
There are times when things don’t go as anticipated and the results are even better than what we hoped for.
“William’s kindergarten picture. We are NOT doing retakes. This little sweet face of his makes our hearts melt,” posted Nassari Alvarez Everett. “They told him to smile for this picture and he did.”
Do you have similar stories of school picture day gone wrong?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
