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Grandchildren hilariously act out iconic real life photos for grandfather's 70th birthday

They've raised the bar for grandkids everywhere.

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Grandchildren surprise their grandpa for his 70th birthday by acting out his old photos.

You only turn 70 once--and the milestone birthday is a big one to celebrate. For grandparents, there is nothing better to commemorate the special day than with their kids and grandkids. And one family went above and beyond to make their grandpa feel special on his big day.

Aimee (@athomeiwthaimee), a stay-at-home mom and certified personal trainer, shared a hilarious video with her followers on Instagram of an epic birthday surprise her family pulled off for her dad, 'Papa'. At his 70th birthday, all of Papa's grandchildren dressed up and recreated old photos of him throughout the years. Each one came out individually to show him to roaring laughter that is contagious.

"Papa's 70th Birthday photo recreations 🤣❤️🤣," she captioned the post, adding, "We surprised our dad for his 70th birthday. All of his grandchildren recreated old photos of him."

In the video, it begins with Papa sitting in the family's living room in front of a mantle covered in 70th birthday cards. He is sitting in a chair, waiting for the first grandchild to come out in costume. And it did not disappoint--the first grandson is dressed in an altar boy outfit, recreating a photo of Papa standing in front of an altar at church as a young boy. "Oh my goodness," he says as his grandson walks out.

The second recreation is a vintage golf photo, and another grandson comes out wearing a red tank top and jean shorts rocking a fake mustache just like his Papa did back in the day. He's also holding a golf club. "That's awesome," he says laughing as he shakes his grandson's hand.


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A third grandson comes out dressed up as Papa posing pensively on a tree in a yellow button down, navy shorts and striped crew socks--with a fake mustache, of course. "I love the mustaches! Look at those socks, they're beautiful!" he says. "I made them," his grandson responds.

For the fourth look, his granddaughter comes out in a bathrobe and fake mustache to recreate a lazy morning photo. The sixth look is another grandson dressed as Papa in a previous Halloween costume--a poker dealer, complete with a see-through visor, bow tie, button-up white shirt and arm band. "I remember that!" Papa says.

And the looks just keep coming. For the seventh recreation, another granddaughter comes out in a midlife outfit of Papa wearing a checkered button-down, jeans and glasses with the mustache. She stands next to him to pose exactly as he did in the original photo, and the family laughs loudly.

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The eighth look is Papa from an old photo on a snow mobile, rocking a retro snowsuit. His grandson comes out in a nearly identical one. "That is awesome," Papa says to him.

There is a ninth look, and for this one Papa was in baseball coach mode. Another grandson comes out in a red polo, red and white ball cap and fake mustache to recreate the photo, and Papa is loving every second.

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For the grand finale and tenth look, another grandchild comes out dressed like a California Raisin to mimic a previous Halloween costume. The family's laughter is boisterous and from the gut, and viewers fully enjoyed watching the family come together to celebrate Papa. "People from background should be hired for sitcoms 😭," one commented. Another wrote, "The moustache was the main character in all this!!! 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣" And another viewer added, "Now that is a life well lived and a family well adjusted ❤️."

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How do you give a child struggling with autism more stability? Call in the grandparents.

Who better than family to make sure you and your child with autism are getting every service available?

In 2009, the CDC estimated that 1 in 110 children in the U.S. had autism spectrum disorders.

That was an increase from 1 in 150 just two years prior, and the number keeps increasing. But for families of children with autism, the reality is much more nuanced than those numbers can portray.

Parents of kids with autism tend to struggle with things that many of us cannot understand. They have less time to socialize and little time to do research on services available to their kids. Those services can be quite expensive, too. And sadly, some parents may even find themselves shunned by family and friends who don't quite understand autism. But of course, these parents are also blessed with unique and vibrant children — as with most of parenting, the experience is a mixed bag.

Image via iStock.

But now there's an exciting approach for families of kids with autism. Enter: grandparents.

Sociologist Eva Kahana, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, conducted a literature review of dozens of studies about parenting, special needs kids, and familial relationships. She suggests grandparents are ideal hangout buddies for children, especially those diagnosed with autism.

She found that grandparents can help parents raise autistic children who are better adapted because grandparents often build a bridge to understanding autism for everyone in the family. And because grandma and grandpa are often able to act as neutral "spokespeople" between the family of a child with autism and their extended family or the outside world. Grandparents often end up serving as surrogates, educating people and dispelling any misguided perceptions about autism, including fear and discomfort.

Most grandparents have already raised children, so they may be more aware than parents if their grandchild is showing signs of developing autism.

Most grandparents are extremely emotionally invested in their grandchildren, often second only to parents, so they are more likely to notice and push for an early diagnosis and treatment plan, too.

Image via iStock.

Also, grandparents typically have more time for caretaking and special attention.

That means they are able to do research on after-school programs and other services offered to children with autism that parents may not know about.

“Parents often accept limited services offered to the child at their local public schools, unaware of additional services that schools are required by law to provide to a child with a disability,” Kahana says.

Then there's the issue of money — there's something called a "special needs trust" that grandparents can open for a grandchild who has autism. The trust ensures that the child's future public benefits are never put at risk.

And who better to watch your kids?

Kahana found that children who struggle with autism are less likely to become agitated when grandma or grandpa babysit, as opposed to a babysitter they don't know at all. (Not to mention the added benefit of not having to pay them for their services — that frees up a lot of money parents can spend to improve the quality of life of their children!)

Image via iStock.

The best part is that these are just findings from one article dealing specifically with autism.

Other studies have shown lots of added benefits for children who spend time with their grandparents.

Grandmas and grandpas rule. They're there to spoil you, to say "yes" when your parents say "no," and to send you a lot of unconditional love. But while the bonds between kids and their grandparents are beautiful, they're also functional: They could drastically improve life for kids with autism and other special needs all over the world.

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How spending time with grandkids can help grandparents stay healthy, happy, and sharp.

There's now scientific evidence that suggests kids spending time with their grandparents is good for their health.

After waking up to rooster crows and being treated to pancakes made from scratch, my grandmother would help me get dressed for our mini-adventures around town.  

Some of my fondest memories are of that time spent out and about with my grandmother in Nogales, Mexico. Little did I know at the time, there were great health benefits to our time spent together, too.

Listen up, parents! Now there's scientific evidence suggesting quality time with the grandkids has incredible health benefits for both grandma and grandpa.

Photo by Norman Smith/Fox Photos/Getty Images.

For the first time ever, researchers looked at how grandparenting has an effect on cognition. The study — conducted by The Women's Healthy Aging Project in Australia  — observed 186 grandmothers who took care of their grandkids. The results were both surprising and awesome.

The study found that grandmothers who spent one day a week looking after their grandkids were more likely to offset dementia and had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. Apparently, keeping up with the kiddos and answering their sometimes endless questions helps keep their memory sharp by increasing their brain function. Way to go, kids!

The study also found that a healthy grandparent-grandkid relationship helps prevent social isolation, which can lead to depression and sometimes even an earlier death. So by spending more time with grandma or grandpa, you're actually helping to keep them sharp, healthy, happy, and maybe even extending their life.

Photo by J. Duckworth/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

There's also good news for grandkids.

Initial data from the Institute on Aging at Boston College show that a strong grandchild-grandparent bond can offset depressive tendencies for both parties.

The study, which observed 376 grandparents and 340 kids over a span of 19 years (from 1985 to 2004), found that the closer the grandparent-child relationship was, the less likely either was to experience depression. If that's not a major incentive to spend more quality time with Gramps, I don't know what is.

There is one drawback cited in this most recent study that could prove to be convenient when grandma doesn't want to commit to long-term babysitting.

While it's beneficial for grandparents to care for their grandkids one day a week, it's not beneficial to their health to watch them for five days or more per week. Researchers found hanging out with the rug rats too much may affect their grandparent's memory and their ability to process information faster, leading to lower cognition.  

While most of us adore our grandparents, it's important we know how our interactions affect their health. While we may feel like we have all the energy in the world, they may not. We should be informed about how much time with the kids is OK and when it's best to relieve them of their grandparenting duties.

Photo by Val Rodriguez/AFP/Getty Images.

Fostering a fulfilling relationship between kids and their grandparents is a beautiful thing. Who better to teach kids about themselves and their family history? This relationship is crucial.

This study offers a win-win situation for parents who want their kids to build lasting, meaningful relationships with their grandparents. Hey, it could also be a great excuse for finally having that date night!

So parents, feel free to ask grandma and grandpa to watch the kids — and to feel good about it — because you're also helping to keep them sharp and healthy. But remember that, like in most things in life, everything is best in moderation.

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