My first thought was similar to this. If I take off my glasses, I look like a bigger, blonder, version of my father. If I ran into my parents 10-20 years ago they would probably assume that I’m a distant cousin. It would be easy to lose track of someone on that side of my family.
That was actually my thought, too. When I think of kids who are given up for adoption, who never meet their birth parents, I can’t help wondering, would they know them? Or sperm or egg donors. Probably a lot less likely to in that case because you’re less likely to think of “your” child or wonder about it, but still.
Just looking at old photos of my family, I’d have to say “not automatically.”
My mother’s aging was so consistent she looked like one of those computer-generated versions of herself from the time she was in elementary school until the day she died. My father’s face, on the other hand, looked radically different as he aged. One sister has pretty much the same facial features, the other has changed dramatically. I’ve changed somewhat. Someone who knew me in my skinny phase probably wouldn’t see the resemblence – someone who knew me when I was fat possibly could.
I went back in time to my dad’s highscool. I doubt I’d be able to pick him out. My mom? Maybe. If I went back in time and someone said “one of the girls in this classroom is your mother” I could probably figure it out knowing she was there. If I went back in time and bumped into her at the soda shop, I doubt it.
ETA: Actually, there are some behavior things that if my dad did I might be able to recognize him, but just walking past in the halls of his school, no.
Are these penguin parents?
'cuz they’re pretty good at picking kids out of a crowd…
Look at child stars. Look at Brook Shields at age 12 http://www.youngactressreviews.org/reviews/pretty_baby/brooke_shields.jpg
Now look at her now http://lifebox.net/0/img/173/3/49e308d4da10ba7516f73ecc26bd02df_9e308d_o.jpg
I think she has the same face and is totally recognizable.
First linky no worky.
If you hadn’t told me who she was, I probably would not have guessed Brooke Shields as my first guess. Plus, a lot of people gain or lose weight, get their teeth fixed etc.
Considering my son has looked, since about six months of age, exactly like my face on his father’s body, I would say yes I would recognize him as an adult. I would also recognize his mannerisms and verbal ticks, unless he grows out of licking his lips before he asks a favour, tilting his head ever so slightly to the left before asking a “why” type question, and a few other things.
Posture too… I have spent maybe 15 days in total with my brother in the past 8 years, and maybe 3 months in total since the mid nineties, but I can recognize him easily by stance and posture. On vacation last month, In the surf, with the sun silhouetting him I picked him out of a bunch of people by the way he adjusted his mask. I have never seen him adjust his snorkelling mask before, and he weighs 40 lbs more than he used to, but I know the way he moves. I am quite certain I would recognize that in my son too.
On the other hand I have also gone up to a teenager and asked him if his dad was a guy I went to school with. It wasn’t his dad, it was his uncle and turns out I knew his mother too. So, since time travel is less likely explained away than family resemblance, I might think that the Simpson the younger was some relative. Although, my son looks like his Danish relatives in build and height, and my Canadian mosaic WASPY-mishmash in facial features… there ARE no relatives on either side who look like him.
How about Macaulay Culkin
at age 10 http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/27/2777/7VUTD00Z.jpg
at age 28 http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20081211/293.culkin.macaulay.lr.121108.jpg
Try it without knowing who the person is to start. You should be able to figure out who this is, but is the kid recognizable instantly?
Or this kid?
Child stars are an odd subsample, since they’re kids whose faces are pleasent as children, which is rare. Usually, people are most attractive in early adulthood, so if you’re good-looking before then, odds are your face is going to shift into weirdo territory in a few years. See: every child actor.
The above makes me concerned a little about society, because since culture went from being aimed at 22-year-olds to 12-year-olds, many of the big stars coming out of Hollywood are all pre-teens who pretty quickly lose their looks and become strange-looking chuds who society continues to tell us we should find attractive, even though they aren’t, so our very definition of attractiveness begins to shift. I call this the Robert Patinson Hypothesis.
That’s why I picked two people who weren’t famous as children. In your OP, the parents are seeing the child as an adult without seeing all the steps in between. Brooke Shields, Culkin and Barrymore all grew up right before our eyes. We saw the transformation unfold bit by bit.
In my second example, I don’t recognize him as a kid, so I’m guessing that if I knew the kid I wouldn’t recognize the adult.
I cant really peg down either of those kids. The first sort of looks like Corey Feldman, but not enough for me to wager money on it.
They are both more famous than Feldman having both starred in major successful franchises.
Is it
Michael J Fox?
Even when you saw the person grow up, it’s not that easy.
Here’s young Mickey Rooney
Nope!
Harrison Ford?