It’s suddenly that time again! Time for the New Year’s resolutions, sparkly outfits, a bit of bubbly, and a ton of reflection. I swear it was mere minutes ago when I was preparing for the start of 2024 while reminiscing on all the exciting things that happened in 2023 (including some pretty spectacular pregnancy announcements!). And now I’m right back there again: Looking forward to the new year while looking back at all that happened in 2024.
And wow, it was quite a year for all the parents living in the spotlight. So many celebrities welcomed little ones (or announced they have bundles of joy on the way!). The youngins in the royal family made more public appearances (much to our delight!). Pretty much every celeb brought their kids to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour … including Prince William! Celebrity moms clapped back at the mom shamers and trolls. Celebrity girl dads leaned into the inevitable makeovers. And so. much. more.
And so we’ve compiled a list of the most enticing, talked-about parenting and family stories from this past year and created a comprehensive “ICYMI” for 2024. So grab your popcorn and head below to see the top heartwarming, jaw-dropping, and eyebrow-raising moments you won’t want to forget as you head into 2025.
The Best Super Bowl Photo
Image Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images It’s no wonder people fell in love with this magical photo of Patrick Mahomes with his 3-year-old daughter Sterling after he led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in the 2024 Super Bowl. Mahomes — who also shares 2-year-old son Bronze with his pregnant wife Brittany Mahomes — posted the jaw-dropping photo on Instagram, and we think it was the best shot from the Super Bowl.
In the enchanting photo — that Patrick’s mom Randi Mahomes called “priceless” — the quarterback holds his eldest on his hip and they both stare up in wonder as red and yellow confetti falls around them. “Family❤️,” Mahomes captioned the post.
The Coolest PTA
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images. In Feb. 2024, Jessica Chastain dropped a major bombshell at the SAG Awards when she revealed that she and Bradley Cooper are “in the same kids group.”
“We sure are, for many years now,” Cooper said, with Chastain clarifying, “We have, like, a PTA.”
Now the big question is, how does one join that elite PTA? Asking for a friend!
A Young Royal’s Bestie
Image Credit: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images. Fans thought it was too cute when an eye-witness revealed that Princess Lilibet might already have a celebrity friend. While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in Florida getting footage for their Netflix docuseries, Polo, one of the player’s daughters was looking for Lili.
Polo player Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras is a longstanding friend of Prince Harry’s and has been the face of Ralph Lauren’s Black Label for over a decade. He and model Delfina Blaquier — who is reportedly close with Markle — share four children. Their 11-year-old daughter, Alba, was apparently asking about where Princess Lilibet was.
It’s so cute that the tween wanted to spend time with the little girl, and it’s always so sweet when friends’ kids become friends too.
Big On Barron
Image Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Barron Trump made headlines many times in 2024, and people seem to be really invested in Donald and Melania Trump’s youngest son. First, a body language expert noticed the “unusual” gesture Barron extended to his dad during grandma Amalija Knavs’ funeral.
Then there was the way the teen’s behavior around each of his parents showed a clear difference in their relationships.
Plus, there was the jaw-dropping moment when he backed out of being a delegate at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
New Name, Who Dis?
Image Credit: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection. Eagle-eyed fans noticed during the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony in June that one of her kids is apparently going by a different name. The actress shares daughters Sunday and Faith with husband Keith Urban and kids Bella and Connor with ex Tom Cruise, but it seems like Sunday is known to many people as “Sunny.”
The Perfect Postpartum Workout
Image Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Serena Williams hyped up one of her beloved workouts while flaunting her gorgeous and strong postpartum body in an ethereal swimsuit photoshoot. The tennis legend shares two daughters with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and followers were obsessed with how happy and confident the mom of two looked “getting ready for that hot girl summer body.”
The Playground Incident
Image Credit: Lanna Apisukh/WWD via Getty Images Over the summer, Keke Palmer shared a hilarious and relatable video on Instagram where she was in full Mama Bear Mode. The Nope actress brought her 1-year-old son to the playground and things quickly went south. Little Leo seemingly made a friend, but the toddler had an odd way of showing his affection. “The little boy sticks his little arms out and pushes my son to the ground,” Palmer said.
She then gave a hilarious enactment of how she wishes she handled the incident while asking the internet, “How do we deal with this?”
More than 5 thousand followers commented, giving advice and commiserating with the new mom. One mom said her strategy was to have more kids. Because while she can’t put her hands on another kid, there’s nothing stopping a sibling from retaliating!
“This is my toughest battle as a mama! but now that I have a few, I can send them into battle. lol” she said. “Some kids were bullying [my son] on the playground … I couldn’t find their parent and I couldn’t grab them off him myself … so I said [to my other son] … go get your brother’s back! he said no prob, boss 🫡🤗”
