{"slug":"baby-crying-then-smiling","name":"Baby Crying Then Smiling","url":"/templates/baby-crying-then-smiling.jpg","w":800,"h":508,"top":"","bottom":"","description":"One baby laughing, one baby screaming, side by side in the same photo. Use the Baby Crying Then Smiling meme for any before-and-after emotional recovery.","keywords":"baby crying smiling meme, before after meme, sad then happy meme, baby reaction meme, mood change meme","year":2021,"origin":"A black-and-white photo of two babies sitting side by side: the one on the left is laughing hysterically, the one on the right is mid-scream. The format became popular for showing emotional whiplash, where something devastating sits right next to something that makes everything okay. Label each side and the contrast does the rest. For a more gradual emotional escalation, see Expanding Brain. For a preference format instead of an emotional shift, see Drake Hotline Bling.","format":"template","textBoxes":[{"label":"Smiling","x":5.7,"y":44.2,"w":41.6,"h":46,"placeholder":"The good thing","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#FFFFFF","strokeWidth":2,"strokeColor":"#000000","isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":38},{"label":"Crying","x":52.7,"y":44.8,"w":44.7,"h":46,"placeholder":"The bad thing","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#FFFFFF","strokeWidth":2,"strokeColor":"#000000","isBold":true,"isItalic":false,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":38}],"howToMake":["Open the Baby Crying Then Smiling template. Two text boxes are pre-positioned: one over the smiling baby (left), one over the crying baby (right)","Type the good thing on the left and the bad thing on the right. The bigger the contrast between the two, the funnier the meme","Text appears above each baby so the expressions do the emotional heavy lifting. Keep it short and punchy","White text with black outline reads cleanly over the black-and-white photo. Bump the font size up if your text is just a word or two","Emotional rollercoaster complete. Use the Download button for a PNG or Copy to paste it into a conversation"],"exampleCaptions":["No WiFi","Finding the neighbor's network is unlocked"],"exampleAltText":"Baby Crying Then Smiling meme about having no WiFi then discovering the neighbor's network is unlocked","exampleRefreshDate":"2026-03-06","seo":{"aliases":["Sad Happy Baby Meme","Crying Smiling Baby","Baby Before After","Baby Mood Change","Baby Emotional Meme"],"description":"A black-and-white photo of two babies sitting side by side on a couch. The baby on the left is laughing with its whole body, head tilted back, mouth wide open. The baby on the right is screaming with the same intensity but in the opposite direction, face crumpled, mouth open in full wail. The side-by-side contrast makes it the simplest possible before-and-after format. Label the left side with the good thing, the right side with the bad thing, and let the babies do the rest.","definition":"Two babies side by side. Left: pure, radiant happiness. Right: inconsolable screaming. The format labels each side, turning any emotional contrast into a visual comparison where both feelings exist at the same time.","useCases":[{"category":"Paycheck & Money Swings","examples":["Crying: Checking my bank account on the 28th / Smiling: Direct deposit hitting on the 1st","Crying: The price at the register / Smiling: \"Oh wait, there's a coupon\"","Crying: Rent is due tomorrow / Smiling: Roommate Venmos you their half first","Crying: Seeing the total at the mechanic / Smiling: Insurance actually covering it","Crying: $7 for oat milk at the coffee shop / Smiling: Finding a buy-one-get-one deal"]},{"category":"Notification Reactions","examples":["Crying: \"We need to talk\" text from your boss / Smiling: It was about getting a bonus","Crying: Email from the professor at 11pm / Smiling: \"Class is cancelled tomorrow\"","Crying: Missed call from an unknown number / Smiling: Voicemail says your package is ready","Crying: \"Your order has been delayed\" / Smiling: \"Out for delivery\" notification 20 minutes later","Crying: \"Your card was declined\" / Smiling: Realizing you used the wrong card"]},{"category":"Weather & Travel Luck","examples":["Crying: Flight delayed 3 hours / Smiling: Getting upgraded to first class as compensation","Crying: It starts raining during your outdoor plans / Smiling: Finding a covered patio with better vibes","Crying: Snowstorm on a weekday / Smiling: Work announces everyone can stay home","Crying: The beach is packed / Smiling: Finding a hidden spot around the corner with nobody there"]},{"category":"Gaming Emotional Swings","examples":["Crying: Dying to the boss for the 30th time / Smiling: Finally beating it with 1 HP left","Crying: Teammates going AFK mid-match / Smiling: Winning the round solo","Crying: Getting disconnected during a ranked match / Smiling: Reconnecting and your team held it together","Crying: Loot box gives you a duplicate / Smiling: The duplicate refunds enough currency for the skin you actually wanted","Crying: Save file corrupted / Smiling: Cloud backup had everything"]},{"category":"Relationship Panic to Relief","examples":["Crying: They left you on read for 6 hours / Smiling: They reply with a paragraph and a heart","Crying: \"I have something to tell you\" / Smiling: They booked a surprise trip","Crying: Seeing your partner's phone face down / Smiling: They were planning your birthday party","Crying: Accidentally liking a photo from 47 weeks ago / Smiling: They like one of yours back immediately","Crying: Forgetting the anniversary / Smiling: Realizing it's actually tomorrow"]},{"category":"School & Academic Recovery","examples":["Crying: Thinking you failed the exam / Smiling: Professor curved it and you got a B","Crying: Realizing the essay is due today / Smiling: Checking the syllabus and it's actually next week","Crying: Group project partner hasn't done anything / Smiling: They send their entire section at midnight","Crying: Required textbook costs $180 / Smiling: Finding a free PDF online"]}]}}