Childhood memories?

[MissSunny]

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[JesuslovesCatholicSchools]

i remember things from the age of three.

we have had topics like this before and people do say their earliest memories are looking out of a crib.

i have my memories so deeply embedded becuase they are special to me as my dad died when i was 4.

the brain is a mysterious and wonderful thing - perhaps the person who was fostered and deosn't remember - might be a self protection mechanism? who knows.

i have huge periods of my life i don't remember with any clarity.

[JeMeSouviens]

I distinctly remember my mum and stepdad getting married. My aunt and uncle were there as witnesses. It was in our front room at home. Mum told dad to put on some shoes, and he replied, I'm not wearing shoes in my own house. I've worked out that I was 3 at the time of their marriage. I can't remember anything else from that young though.

[MamaLazarou]

It is said that people are not able to remember anything from before the age of 3, but I have lots of very clear memories of our house in Buckinghamshire, and we moved to London when I was 3.

I agree with the poster who said that it could be a self-protection mechanism. My DH can hardly remember a thing from his childhood, which is just as well, as it was horrific by all accounts.

[francagoestohollywood]

I remember vividly falling from a flight of stairs, I can even remember a neighbour wiping the blood away from my face. I was one. BUT, I'm not sure if it's a real memory or if it feels so real because the event has been recalled in details a thousand times (38 yrs on, I think my mum is still traumatized by the fall and still feels guilty)

[lilacclaire]

In general, its about from the age of 3 that you can recall the first memories, obviously there are exceptions.

[Scorpette]

I have memories from just under the age of one - bouncing in my baby bouncer, lying in my cot looking up at my mobile and I can remember being in a high chair and understanding words my mum was saying and trying to make my mouth make the new sounds - and I could speak 4 words at 6 months. These are things that are internal experiences, so it isn't the case that I've overheard people talking about them and got them confused as memories. It's nonsense when 'experts' say memories under 3 are just people creating images in their head based on the reminiscences of their parents and so on - so many of my memories are of feeling, thinking and doing stuff when alone and I can pinpoint them clearly and very precisely in time. I have a photographic memory, however, so this might make me a bit different. I always think 'Bollocks!' to the idea that you can't remember things before the age of three - I was not quite 4 when my brother was born and I can remember HUGE amounts of stuff from before he was ever on the scene. In fact, I have more powerful memories of the period between ages 1-4 than any other part of my life!

[Wordweaver]

I agree, Scorpette - my earliest memory is of lying in my cot and looking at one of the weird red things on springs that used to hang from the curtain rail (very 70s memory that one!). And then looking at my toy lamb beside me and feeling very happy it was there, and then my mum coming in and picking me up and kissing my cheek. It's such a happy memory and like you, it's internal feelings and definitely not something I overheard her talking about.

Not to mention the fact that my mother has the memory of a sieve!

Having said that I have TOTALLY blocked out the memory of being bitten by my nan's dog at the age of three. As in I can remember running around before it happened - and then nothing.

[ihavenosecrets]

I have one memory of being under 1, a handful of memories between 1 and 3 and I remember nearly everything from 3 onwards.

[MissSunny]

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[GypsyMoth]

I have memories from about 4. I look at baby photos but remember none of it.

However, now I have my own DC I'm constantly trying to 'create' memories for them. Does anyone else do that? For example: on way back fro somewhere, I randomly stopped at a pub by a pretty canal, sat them on a wall outside and bought them each a bottle of coke and packet of crisps!!! That was one of my happy memories, and was a treat back in the 70's, so I re created it fir them. ( they weren't too impressed!)

Also, I really want to take them strawberry picking at a 'pick your own' place, like I used to. And I force myself to play board games with them, like my mum did. They would much rather share a game on the wii, so I do both.

I have many examples of this weird behaviour I inflict on my poor DC..

[Scorpette]

Miss Sunny, so sorry to hear about your DD's daddy. I'm sure she will remember him - one of the things I remember from my very early babyish memories is feeling happy and loved and cuddly in various people's arms; not memories you could describe in words, but strong 'feeling' memories, so I bet she will remember his love. One of my earliest memories is actually looking up at my Dad from my pram, so it's entirely possible she could remember stuff like that. It's so good that you're keeping things for her for when she's older and keep talking to her about him (even if it is painful for you). Encourage her to remember, that's the key.

Wordweaver and ihavenosecrets - glad I'm not the only one! People always think I'm exaggerating or deluded when I say I can remember such early stuff.

[deste]

I remember my mother and father getting a new house when I was 18 months and my brother was two and a half. We went to look at it and I remember looking out the window and seeing a building site accross the road. I dont remember getting there or back.

[Fizzfiend]

I have early memories, but I am not sure how many of them have been told to me. I think the only way you can be sure they're your own memories is if you remember how you felt at the time.

When I was 3 I tried to leave home because I couldn't get my own way. I got to the front door and burst into tears because I was too scared to go out in the dark. A cute story, but I vividly remember the bubbling feeling of humilation inside my chest that I hadn't managed to carry out my brave threat.

[ihavenosecrets]

Greensleeves.

[MissSunny]

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[PintandChips]

i remember very little from before i was about 9 years old... a handful of memories only. Have often wondered if that was weird.

[Salme101]

My mother died when I was 5 and I have some pretty strong and clear memories of her - not as many as I would like, but still... That is the case even though I didn't live with my mum full-time in her last year or two (she was a single parent and I stayed with my grandparents during the week whilst she worked).

[MadameDefarge]

Ah, fuck it, Greensleeves,

You are like me. I have a really long memory too, being bathed in the sink and lots of things, probably about 18 months old ( I was very advanced as a child!).

And remember the bad stuff with crystal clarity.

[MadameDefarge]

what a complete and utter psychopathic bitch. She should be locked up.

Why can't you talk about it?

[TheYearOfTheCat]

Jeez.

Poor you.

Don't know what to say.

Are your Dad, Mum & StepDad still alive?