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Original poster

Does anyone else have few to no memories of childhood?

55 replies

Celledora · 15/12/2019 21:21

Talking with people about childhood memories and thinking about the memories we're making for our children, it seems I'm not normal in having hardly any memories before roughly 8 years old... anyone else?!

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 15/12/2019 21:23

Weird. I thought about posting this earlier. I have very few childhood memories at all.

ThisIsYourCaptainSpeaking · 15/12/2019 21:25

Yes! Me! I have about 5 childhood memories tops before 10.

  1. The curtains in the Wendy house in my first school.
  2. My grandpa one memorable Christmas
  3. Looking at myself in the mirror on my 9th birthday (I felt VERY grownup)
  4. A particular dress my Mum had.
  5. A recurrent nightmare I had as a very young child.

I do have a terrible memory for most things though.

ManonBlackbeak · 15/12/2019 21:33

I can remember loads of stuff, my earliest memories start from about the age of two when my DB was born. Interestingly though I don't remember my first day of school, but can vividly remember being in reception class the teacher, my friends and even what the classroom itself looked like.

graysor · 15/12/2019 21:33

Yes, me! I hardly remember anything before about 11yo. People always think it’s odd, so glad to hear I’m not the only one.

Ninjakittysmellz · 15/12/2019 21:35

And me! My Ds loves me to tell him stories about when I was little and I really struggle. I had quite an abusive background at times and wondered if it was that though?

ohwheniknow · 15/12/2019 21:35

Trauma or forgetful?

ohwheniknow · 15/12/2019 21:36

Ninjakittysmellz probably. Trauma will do that.

ShowOfHands · 15/12/2019 21:37

My Mum has around three memories of her childhood before her teens. She had a horrific accident at 13 and sustained a serious head injury so I always wondered if that contributed but maybe it's not that?

GirlsInGreen · 15/12/2019 21:37

I can't remember a lot from my childhood - it was traumatic at times and I think, talking to others there is absolutely a link.

Barsh · 15/12/2019 21:38

I’ve hardly any, my dad died when I was 7 and I have hardly any memories of him.

DamnYouAutocucumber · 15/12/2019 21:44

I only have snippets here and there, surprisingly little even when older. Whenever people have a chat about 'do you remember such and such from school' I never do.
No trauma, just all a bit of a blur.

MoonlightMistletoe · 15/12/2019 21:52

I only have a few and most of them are ones I don't want to remember.

SallyWD · 15/12/2019 21:56

My husband's like this! Says he has hardly any memories before 8 then not many after that. I have so many memories, really detailed memories too.

lynsey91 · 15/12/2019 21:57

I don't really remember much before I was about 16. I remember bits of one holiday we had and that's about it. I have a terrible memory though

Grasspigeons · 15/12/2019 21:59

I cant remember much - a few things before 5 and increasingly more in that 8-11 stage. My children already cant remember those pre-school years and they are 10 and 13.. its definitely worth msking sure the teen years are nice as thats what will be remembered. That said i think feeling of love, security and having your needs met (or not) shape you even if you cant remeber it happening.

DickAmbush · 15/12/2019 21:59

I've lost huge chunks of memory due to trauma. I can count on one hand the number of childhood memories I have. That used to bother me, but the more work I do on myself regarding the trauma, the more I think it's probably for the best.

1990shopefulftm · 15/12/2019 22:01

dad died when I was 9 so i have about 10 memories before then, none before I had an asthma attack at 5.

BertieBotts · 15/12/2019 22:03

DH has hardly any memories of most of his childhood, I can remember loads and loads and loads of things from mine.

Cherrysoup · 15/12/2019 22:19

Not much before 17, tbh. (I’m nearly 50) My cousin is the same, he can’t remember anything before 17 either. I think we’re unusual, most friends seem to have lots more memories.

FlamingoAndJohn · 15/12/2019 22:25

Hardly anything.
I’m reading a memoir at the moment and wondering how the author can remember everything in such detail. Complete conversations.

If I ran all my memories like a film I think I’d have about an hour.

It’s not just my childhood though. It’s recent stuff too.
I lived in my last house for 10 years. I hardly remember any of it. I was in the house before that for 3 years and I’ve forgotten most of that too.
It might be because I don’t have DC that everything has blurred into one. Less significant events.

AhoyMrBeaver · 15/12/2019 22:27

I have patchy memories of childhood, and I often find myself failing to recall events my family like to reminisce about. Birthday parties, holidays, even pets we had for years that I can't remember. I sometimes wonder if it's all an elaborate joke, and that they're just winding me up.

I think some of my childhood memories are just recalling photos and other people's retelling of events.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2019 22:29

The only way I can describe it is. I can remember being able to remember certain events, but I have no memory or them now.
eg being a Bridesmaid at my uncles wedding.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2019 22:30

Excellent thread btw. I love anything to do with memories.

TickleMyTitsTilFriday · 15/12/2019 22:33

Me neither! You make a good point about all these lovely memories we are busy making for our kids when I have barely any from when I was little! I do have a terrible memory in general though...

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 15/12/2019 22:33

I remember very little. Nothing traumatic. I discovered recently that I have aphantasia (no mind's eye) so I don't know if that's related.

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