Imagine being in the shoes of a celebrity. Sure, they get to attend cool red carpet events and award shows. Not to mention, they probably have a nice bank account. But there are also downsides that come with fame and fortune, with the main one being the paparazzi.
It would be unnerving to have photographers following you at all hours of the day. Sometimes, people just want to grab some groceries or order take-out in their sweatpants. But imagine having images of yourself doing that plastered all over the national news outlets. The media and fans haven’t been kind to celebrities who go out looking like less than their glamorous selves.
However, dealing with the paparazzi would be all the worse if you had children to think of. On one hand, many stars have said it’s worrisome for their kids to constantly have their pictures being taken because they don’t understand what’s going on. It also invades the children’s privacy since no one asked their permission to have their faces known by the public. Even more, it would just be embarrassing to have all the media documenting every moment of parenting, from temper tantrums to kids in awkward positions. But for celebrities, that’s their everyday life.
Keep reading to see some of the most compromising positions the media has caught these famous families in — and we bet they didn’t even realize it!
20 Even Lizzie McGuire Can't Avoid Tantrums
Hilary Duff has her hands full with her two children, son Luca and daughter Banks (who was born last fall!). There have been several times the actress has been out-and-about with her son only for him to have a temper tantrum while the paparazzi flash on.
“[He’s asked,] ‘Why do you have to work so far away? Why do you have a job? Why does my other friend’s mom not have a job?’” Hilary said last year about explaining her job to 6-year old Luca, Huffington Post reports. “It’s tough. One, I want to be like ‘Hey, you know all that stuff you have? This house that we get to live in? This is why I have a job.’ But that doesn’t mean anything to them.”
19 There Goes Dream's Stroller
Reality star Blac Chyna has two children. She shares 4-year-old son King Cairo with her ex Tyga (yes, the guy who famously dated Kylie Jenner), and she also has 2-year-old daughter Dream with Rob Kardashian (Kylie’s brother!).
While the celebrity has made headlines for all sorts of bizarre behavior, no one could forget when the paparazzi got footage of her throwing around her daughter’s pink push car. After the incident, which took place at a California theme park, sources said the Kardashians were concerned for Dream’s well-being.
“She is just drama all the time,” a source told People at the time. “The family’s just relieved Rob isn’t involved with her anymore.”
18 Jennifer Just Needed A Taxi
Jennifer Garner and her ex-husband Ben Affleck share three children: daughters Violet and Seraphina and son Samuel. The actress always looks like she has her hands full while out-and-about with her children. In this photo, the stressed mama was trying to hail a taxi while holding her youngest in the other arm. Celebrities - they’re just like us!
"It's really important for my kids to see that everyone doesn't have the lives they see in Los Angeles,” Jennifer once said about parenting, The Bump reports. That doesn't reflect the rest of the world. I want them to grow up with the Southern values I had—to look at people when they say hello and to stop and smell the roses. If I could do half as good a job as my mom did, I'd be pretty happy."
17 Charlize Has Got Her Hands Full
Charlize Theron is a mother to two adopted children: daughter August and son Jackson. Despite her busy acting schedule, the mom-of-two always manages to do school drop-offs and pick-ups, just like she’s pictured doing in this photo. And some days are more hectic than others, if this photo is any evidence.
In the past, Charlize has expressed worry over how her children might be treated since they’re a different skin tone than her. “I wouldn't travel with my kids to some parts of America, and that's really problematic,” Charlize has said, Daily Mail reports. 'There are a lot of times when I look at my kids and I'm like, If this continues, I might have to [leave the US]. Because the last thing I want is for my children to feel unsafe.”
16 Peaches Geldof's Infamous Stroller Incident
Model Peaches Geldof, the famous daughter of Sir Bob Geldof, had two sons before her untimely passing in 2014. Her son Astala was born in 2012, while son Phaedra was born in 2013.
The mom-of-two was often spotted walking around London with her look-a-like boys, but the incident pictured above was one time that she made the headlines for it. While talking on the phone, Peaches accidentally toppled her baby’s stroller - with her son inside! Paparazzi caught the frantic mom trying to pick up her baby while finishing her phone call, which didn’t sit too well with fans.
Nowadays, Phaedra and Astala are being raised by their father, Thomas Cohen, who’s the lead singer for the band SCUM.
15 Amy's Daughter Isn't Always Angelic
Amy Adams and her husband Darren Le Gallo share one child: 8-year old daughter Aviana Olea. While the actress often tries to keep her mini-me out of the public eye, there was one time, in particular, the paparazzi caught Aviana having a bit of a temper tantrum, as this photo so clearly shows.
“My husband and I are very quiet people,” Amy told The Guardian about keeping her family out of the spotlight. “Whereas some people – Jennifer Lawrence, let’s say – she just has the kind of energy where she walks into a room and everybody notices. I don’t think that it’s a desire for attention, that’s just the nature of her being. I can disappear really, really quickly in a room
14 Harper Beckham Is Always Camera Ready
Victoria and David Beckham have a large brood. They have three sons- Romeo, Brooklyn, and Cruz- and one daughter, Harper.
While the kids always seem well behaved and put-together in front of the camera, there have been a few times the paparazzi has caught them in some less-than-flattering angles, just like in this photo when little Harper couldn’t resist sticking her tongue out at the swarm photographers.
Of parenting, Victoria has said she wouldn’t be able to manage without her husband, David. “I wouldn’t be where I am without David,” she told Vogue last year. “He gives me the security and encouragement to do what I do. I do the same for him.”
13 Being A Kardashian Is Tough
Given how often the Kardashians are photographed, there was bound to be a time or two when their kids weren’t camera ready. For Kim and her brood, there have been plenty of times her eldest daughter North has been caught having a meltdown in front of paparazzi, just like this one.
Kim once revealed that North usually gets agitated by her younger siblings. "North just beats him up all day long, and he doesn't cry... she's just [... ] She's so jealous. I thought it was a phase, and it's not going away,” she told Ellen DeGeneres, Her reports. "She says boys aren’t allowed in her room. When she’s gone to school I’m like, ‘It’s time! Let’s go in her room, do what you want, go crazy!’"
12 Mariah Isn't Always Shopping For Herself
It would be an understatement to say Mariah Carey is known to be a Diva. But there are plenty of times the paparazzi have caught her alongside her twins, 7-year-old Moroccan and Monroe, doing the sort of things all families do- like shopping sprees at the toy store (well, maybe you’ve got to be rich for that)!
This paparazzi photo shows the singer taking her two kiddos to an LA toy store for a mini shopping spree, proving she doesn’t always just shop for herself. "They are both fully committed to being the best parents they can be to the twins,” a source told In Touch about how Mariah and her ex-husband Nick Cannon make their family work. “Family is Mariah and Nick's number one priority and they are such great, hands-on parents."
11 Sarah Is Slaying Motherhood, Not Vampires
Back in 2002, Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar married fellow ‘90s heartthrob Freddie Prinze Jr. Since then, the two have gone on to welcome two look-a-like kids: daughter Charlotte and son Rocky.
This photo proves that, despite her celebrity status, Sarah has had to deal with unexpected tantrums just like everyone else- except she also has to deal with the paparazzi!
“What I would say to any new parent, which someone gave to me once and I thought was the best advice was: Add ‘for now’ to the end of every sentence,” the star once shared with People.
10 Sassy Runs In The Kardashian Family
Here’s another photo we bet the Kardashians with the paparazzi hadn’t snapped of their kids! While Kim was busy giving her daughter North a huge hug, her nephew (aka. sister Kourtney’s son) Mason began giving attitude to the camera. If anything is for sure, these photos are evidence Mason has inherited his father’s sense of humor.
What’s Kourtney’s advice for being out with the kids? Pack a lot of snacks! “Bringing your own snacks—especially for the kids—is a great way to have healthy options that everyone likes,” Kourt wrote on her blog. “Also, if we’re gone for a big trip, I’ll pack a bag full of gluten-free snacks to bring with us, so we have our pantry staples wherever we go.”
9 Jessica Does Groceries Just Like Us
Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have been married since 2008. The long-time lovebirds now have three children: daughters Honor and Haven and son Hayes.
Jessica has noticeably taken a step back from the spotlight after welcoming her first child over a decade ago. And while she still has a bustling professional life, she also has to make time for mundane things, like doing the groceries.
“When the paparazzi follow us, and she asks me what they’re doing, I tell her, ‘They’re just taking pictures. Isn’t that silly?’” the star once revealed to Parenting.
“ I don’t want her to have anxiety, so I tell her they do that to everyone, not just our family.”
8 Ashton And The Terrific Twos
Ashton Kutcher is one of the most famous dads in Hollywood! He and wife Mila Kunis married in 2004, and now they’re parents to two young kiddos: daughter Wyatt Isabelle and son Dimitri. While we’re so used to seeing Ashton on the big screen or looking dapper on the red carpet, this photo proves even he has to deal with the stress of the infamous twos.
“We just want to know our kid. We want to be the people that know what to do when the baby’s crying to make the baby not cry anymore,” he said about why his family chose not to hire a nanny for the longest time, Huffington Post reports. “We want to know, like, when she makes a little face or something, we want to be emotionally in touch with her.”
7 Halle's Starring Role Is Now As A Mom
Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is another famous solo mom! In 2008, the star welcomed daughter Nahla with her then-boyfriend, model Gabriel Aubry, though the two split several years later. Halle went on to marry French actor Oliver Martinez and they welcomed their son, Maceo, in 2013. The couple divorced in 2015.
In this photo, the actress had to do what every other mom does and deal with her toddler when she was having a tantrum. “You don’t ever balance it completely,” Halle has said of being a working mom, Huffington Post reports. “It’s a constant struggle of a little more time there, a little more time here, and feeling a little bit guilty all the time. I just keep telling all my mom friends who work that it’s OK to give ourselves a little slack sometimes.”
6 Gwen Makes Groceries Stylish
Gwen Stefani is perhaps one of the most stylish mamas in Hollywood! The singer shares three boys with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale: Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo. But despite her fame, Gwen has to do normal mom things like every other mama out there, including making a huge grocery haul.
“I was in a band and free my whole life, so I always thought I would be really free with [my kids] and do whatever I wanted, like, ‘Oh, I’ll take them out of school.' But you learn that when they have boundaries is when they feel the safest," she once explained to People about adjusting to parenthood.
5 The Burtka-Harris Kids Can Get Grumpy
Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burtka are the proud parents to a set of twins, daughter Harper and son Gideon, who were born via a surrogate.
The proud dads are always posting adorable photos of their dapper kids, making fans wonder how they’re always so well behaved. But just moments after this paparazzi shot was taken, Gideon started with the waterworks, which left Neil looking frantic.
"Our family travels a ton, not only internationally and domestically, but just throughout the day," he once told Parents about his family’s hectic schedule. "We're going constantly from school to playdate, from tutor to gymnastics, from the park to the museum
4 Britney Hasn't Always Been Professional
Britney Spears went through a rough time shortly after welcoming her sons, Jayden and Sean, in 2004 and 2005. The singer’s marriage to Kevin Federline broke up shortly after their sons’ births, and the celebrity entered into a downward spiral, which climaxed with her infamously shaving her head and going after a paparazzo’s car.
This photo was taken during one of Britney’s difficult days, and shows just how disheveled and stressed she looked during this period in her life. Luckily, reports say that Britney is doing a lot better now that it’s been close to two decades. Can you believe how quickly her boys have grown up?
3 Something Is Up With Harper's Nose
The Beckham kids have always been in the spotlight, which is why they’re photographed by the paparazzi so much.
In this photo, Harper was caught picking at her nose despite being seated front row at a fashion show- beside Anna Wintour, not to mention! The photo is more hilarious than anything and proves that celebrity kids aren’t always poised for the camera.
“We are strict with the kids,” Victoria told Elle magazine about raising her big brood. “'You have to be, but at the same time still allow them to have fun and express themselves.”
2 Motherhood Isn't A Cruise For Katie
Katie Holmes famously shares one child, daughter Suri, with her ex-husband Tom Cruise. The actress has almost entirely stopped making movies in order to focus on her daughter since her divorce.
Although the mother-daughter duo almost always looks poised and polished for the camera, there have been times (like this one) where Suri was less-than-enthusiastic to be confronted by paparazzi.
“Every day, kids get a little further away from you. That’s a positive thing. They should be becoming more independent, but it’s heartbreaking,” Katie once told Town & Country. “You want them to stay with you forever, but they’re these amazing beings, and you have to do everything you can to give them what they need — and then they’re going to go. “
1 The Beckham Kids Don't Like The Paparazzi
Harper isn’t the only Beckham kid who likes giving the camera attitude! In this photo, the power couple’s youngest son, Cruz, stuck out his tongue for the flashing cameras as the family headed to catch a plane.
Victoria has admitted she often struggles with balancing work with motherhood. “Just don't feel bad. Just don't feel guilty. We're trying to do the best that we can,” she once told Elle. “You want to be the best wife, the best mum, the best professional and just be good and kind to yourself.”
She added, “You work so hard for a long time and you want to do the best that you can do.”
Sources: My Domaine, Her.ie, Huffington Post, Daily Mail, The Guardian, People, The Bump, Parenting, Parents, Elle