Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How many childhood memories do you have?

111 replies

HourlyTime · 20/09/2025 21:45

A friend asked me if I had school dinners or took a packed lunch when I was a kid - I couldn't remember.

Either Primary or secondary school, I have zero memories of eating, I couldn't tell you - I can't remember any friends I had, or outside school what I did in the summer holidays or weekends.

I realised I have very, very few childhood memories at all.

Is that normal/common?

OP posts:
nellietheellie75 · 20/09/2025 21:59

My earliest memory is being in a cot and looking through the bars at my mum sleeping. I remember lots from nursery so aged 3. Remember my first day of primary school and lots from infants and juniors. And remember high school like yesterday. Unfortunately I also have a lot of bad memories. There was a lot of of domestic abuse in my household. Maybe that's why I remember so much- trauma?

SkaneTos · 20/09/2025 21:56

I have many memories from childhood, and many of them from school and from the school canteen. I remember many of the dishes, the lunch ladies, where I used to sit to eat, what we used to talk about during lunch, etc.

flobalobble · 20/09/2025 21:56

I can remember snippets from my childhood but cannot remember meal times ,routines etc . I am in my 60s now.I remember my childhood friends ,out playing for hours and still in touch with my earliest bestie ❤️
Likewise I cannot remember details about my children’s childhood ie what time they were up in mornings,getting ready for school routines etc .

Navigatinglife100 · 20/09/2025 21:56

Loads.

GoGoFloFlo · 20/09/2025 21:55

I remember lots from my primary school, I have clear memories from my nursery age 4/5

Miracle1116 · 20/09/2025 21:55

I remember a lot, even before school, used to move to a different town every year while my father was still serving in military so probably those big changes create stronger memories. Husband does not remember single thing from his school years 😁 usually I feel embarrassed to mention details I remember from early childhood, because it is not very common and people don't belive me, so I feel like probably everyone thinks I'm bragging lol..

UnhappyHobbit · 20/09/2025 21:53

I remember my first day at school in some detail. I have a lot of childhood memories actually.

GarlicBreadStan · 20/09/2025 21:52

Absolutely fuck all. I genuinely don't remember anything from my childhood until the age of maybe... 18 or 19? That's when memories actually started sticking. The things I do "remember", I remember in really small bits or because someone has told me about them, so it's more their memories rather than mine

SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter · 20/09/2025 21:51

I think it varies enormously from individual to individual. I remember absolutely heaps, which I am glad about but for 2 things: Firstly it means I'm very nostalgic and spend a lot of time looking back and missing my childhood, and secondly because I have the not-so-good memories as well as the good ones, and cringe hard over a lot of them!

KnittingOnEmpty · 20/09/2025 21:50

Gosh, well in contrast I have quite vivid memories of especially primary school. I could tell you all about the metal trays of grey mashed potato with glassy bits in that was scooped out with an ice cream scoop. The dinner ladies, the tapioca, sago, Scouse.....I also took packed lunches and remember the shape of the ski yogurt pots. I could tell you loads of names, recall snippets of conversation, the list goes on....

FuzzyWolf · 20/09/2025 21:46

I hardly remember anything either. DH remembers masses.