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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's a bit unusual to have absolutely nothing from childhood!

118 replies

VoppityHoosh · 01/08/2020 12:42

As in not a single thing? No special teddy, first baby shoes, the blanket knitted by granny?

My husband and his three siblings (all in their 30s) have absolutely nothing left from under the age of about 15 (when they got weekend jobs and were able to buy their own stuff) not a sausage

There is no physical record of their childhood left, apart from a few packets of photos- I've only ever seen about half a dozen photographs of my husband as a child/teen

Pils have nothing stashed in their attic either (I know because I helped them move house) DH says they never did.

They have plenty of ornaments and knickknacks on display, so it isn't minimalism, they were comfortably off and lived in a big house with loads of storage, including a massive attic, so it wasn't a space issue, so I can only assume they aren't sentimental that way (though they have loads of pictures and items that belonged to their own parents/holiday souvenirs on display)

It only really struck me as unusual when I was boxing away some of toddler DD's baby things - I've kept a few outfits, a silver baby bracelet, her baby book and a special blanket, which seems about what most of my friends and family seem to keep (apart from one friend who kept every single thing in the garage for years!)

AIBU to think it's a bit strange? Friends of mine have Lego sets that are being played with after spending a few decades in the grandparents attic, and I've also kept some doll's house furniture for DD when she's older - I don't like clutter but it's nice to pass on one or two special items and keep a few bits for memories.

OP posts:
BoggledBudgie · 01/08/2020 13:03

I have nothing from my childhood, not even pictures. My parents weren’t the sentimental type.

NotTerfNorCis · 01/08/2020 13:05

It seems unusual to me because I have loads of stuff, but my OH doesn't - his family weren't well off, and used to move house frequently. Every time they did they'd leave his stuff behind 'because there wasn't room'.

He does have photos though.

insancerre · 01/08/2020 13:07

I was the oldest of 4
Everything was handed down and then given away
My mum wasn’t sentimental about stuff
We’ve got photos, but they didn’t keep stuff
Dh doesn’t have anything either, his mum liked to throw everything away
I think it’s weird that people keep stuff

Titterofwit · 01/08/2020 13:10

I have only 1 photo of me as a baby and that was from someone outside the family. No mementos at all.
I cant say Ive missed them to be truthful though as what would I do with them. I wouldn't be able to remember using or wearing them so they wouldn't be my memories if you see what I mean.

Crystal87 · 01/08/2020 13:11

I've got one doll and 2 soft toys from my childhood that were a present from my grandad. I don't think it's unusual not to have anything though. Not everyone has sentimental stuff from childhood and if you move several times, stuff gets lost.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 01/08/2020 13:12

I have my two teddies and some ornaments, plus my sports medals and photographs, but nothing from young childhood. Always thought the baby clothes and blankets etc were more for the parents than the child.

I've kept a babygro each, their birth announcements and obviously photographs, but not a lot of 'stuff' from my own two. They still have their teddies.

FirmlyRooted · 01/08/2020 13:12

I don't keep things for my kids, I'm not sentimental about old clothes or blankets, in fact I find it really strange that people hold on to things like that.

I might keep the Lego and barbies for future grandkids but definitely not old clothes.

MrsMoastyToasty · 01/08/2020 13:15

My DM still lives in my childhood home. She has loads of my stuff. However DH moved house 3 times as a child and the final move was from a 3 bed house to a prefab which meant that they didn't have the storage space. All he has are some photos, sports trophies and a clock that belonged to his grandparents.

SimonJT · 01/08/2020 13:15

Having stuff to keep is a very western thing.

Even before I left home I don’t think there were any signs of our childhoods in the UK. We came here when I was 8, my parents had already been here 2/3 years I think. We didn’t have anything to bring, we didn’t really have many toys when we were in the UK, what we had was second hand and it would be returned to the charity shops etc when we outgrew it. The first thing I remember being brand new was a rugbyball when I was 11.

I don’t think any photos existed of me before I moved to the UK, they would keep the little proof copies of school pictures and we had pictures at events like weddings, eid etc.

As an adult I don’t really have sentimental stuff, I do keep the odd few things of my sons, but thats more due to attachment issues and life story work.

My sons Grandma has so much stuff from her childrens childhoods, one of her sons has never lived in the house she has now but his bedroom is set up with all of his childhood things. I can understand keeping a few special things, but so many people just keep loads of random tat.

DipSwimSwoosh · 01/08/2020 13:16

I have nothing. I just chucked it bit by bit over the years. I don't remember being tiny so it doesn't hold memories. It's just junk.

Thehop · 01/08/2020 13:17

I’ve got nothing. My mother has cut me off and won’t let me have so much as a picture.

funnyonion1 · 01/08/2020 13:17

Aw that's sad about your DH.

I still have a few teddies, even one my dad got me at the hospital when my mum has just given birth to me. My mum kept a few precious baby clothes that were hand knitted by my grandmother to give to my children (2 DDs which was handy!).

I've kept my DDs really special baby clothes and will have a baby book for them each.

GoshHashana · 01/08/2020 13:18

I'd rather that than the opposite. My parents have kept my childhood room exactly how it was - as if I died or something, and they can't bear to change it Confused Really weird and unhealthy. I'm 40 years old...

Lazydayt00day · 01/08/2020 13:24

My parents kept everything, but not in nice dust proof keepsake boxes. From baby age upwards. When I visited, we started going through the dusty cardboard boxes. All the handwritten school books, which I had never looked at once, went into the paper recycling. Toys & clothes went to the charity shop. I've kept a few of the art works.

My only regret is that I didn't take more photos

It was rather a horrible process, but what does one " do with so much STUFF" ??

Reedwarbler · 01/08/2020 13:31

I don't have any reminders of my childhood other than photos. I don't feel the need for other mementoes. What is sad though is when your family start dying off. If my older brother predeceases me, I will be the only person left alive who remembers my childhood, and there will be no one left to reminisce with. I find that very sad.

Chickychoccyegg · 01/08/2020 13:32

I dont think its unusual at all, i have 3 kids, i have lots of photos, and a couple of bits and bobs, but u throw stugf out/take to chsrity shop regularly, im not particularly sentimental, and what do you do with the stuff thats been kept? why would grown up kids want it? what would parents of grown up kids do with it, especially if they downsize their home or have no storage space

Mummyshark2018 · 01/08/2020 13:41

I don't have anything. There are photos but not many given it was the 79's/80's when my parents had kids and no camera phones.

Teacher12345 · 01/08/2020 13:41

I have a single teddy and a polly pocket but only because it was retruned to me recently after a cousin had it stashed somewhere. My DD pkays with it sometimes.
DH has nothing. His mum has a few bits still of his but he has no emotional attachement to anything. Think that is normal for men.

grafittiartist · 01/08/2020 13:43

Oh gosh- I have a houseful of stuff from my childhood and from both children's!
I am a sentimental hoarder though.

FatCatThinCat · 01/08/2020 13:46

I have nothing, not even photos. I've made up for it by keeping practically everything belonging to my now adult DD.

ShellsAndSunrises · 01/08/2020 13:47

I was born in 1990, and I have two photos of me in childhood, and nothing else.

Probably why I’m a bit of a hoarder of things like tickets in adulthood!

Cadent · 01/08/2020 13:49

Seems normal to me. I'm late 30s and we only have about 5 pics of me until I was 8. Nothing apart from that of my childhood.

cardibach · 01/08/2020 13:49

I’ve got a few books, but that’s because I’m opposed to throwing away books, thing to do with mementoes of childhood. I have pictures, which I love, but a ‘thing’ like a teddy wouldn’t really give me a feeling of closeness to the past. We’re all different though - if he’s happy with nine and you’re happy with lots, that’s ok.

Samanabanana · 01/08/2020 13:51

I have nothing from my childhood bar 5 photos. Neither of my parents have kept anything either. Luckily I'm not overly sentimental so it doesn't bother me too much. I have saved important things from DC childhood, taken millions of photos and kept a scrap book of their art. I couldn't imagine not doing that to be honest! On the other hand my DH's parents saved EVERYTHING. It's very sweet.

Heifer · 01/08/2020 13:56

This is cause of many an arguement in our house! Both DH & DD think I'm silly and senitmental as I have a rocking horse that was in my parents house (no tail) plus have kept a lot of DDs stuff. She is 16 and is adament that she won't want her children playing with that old stuff :-) I don't care. My parents kept a lot of our stuff, and I loved looking through my school reports, books, toys etc and have still got them (although did also throw a load out). I do have to admit to keeping hold of DDs wellington books which I love as they start so small and grow and grow - I may have to throw out soon though just to prove I'm not a hoarder...