Do you remember being a child?

[Eatyourbanana]

I have absolutely no memories until the age of about 9 or 10. Even memories I have of that age are few and far between.

My nan always tells me stories of ‘when I was 3 my mum blah blah...’ she thinks there’s something wrong with me I don’t remember anything?!

YABU - I have memories from a young age 3,4,5...

YANBU - I cant remember much, if anything from childhood.

Not really an AIBU, but generally intrigued.

I have vivid memories of things, which were happier. I think I blocked out a lot, which was not. However, I remember one incident when I was a baby, maybe a one year old. The feelings inside me are making me panic now. I think the feeling, albeit I couldn’t process it at the time is shame. It took me until adulthood to recognise shame because it was instilled in me from so tiny. I remember vividly the lay out of the house we lived in as a preschooler, the people being forced to watch the dog being beaten when I was 3. And the feeling that I was made to feel that I was supposed to be grateful when my mother spent time with me, teaching me things.

Oh I forgot to say, @ludothedog we don’t all block everything iyswim.

I have memories of places more than of people or incidents, I think. I could draw you a map of my nursery, and remember the food we had there at a party for Diwali, but I couldn't tell you what any of the staff looked like.

I remember a lot from the age of around 4, and before that, a few things here and there from around 2 years old. I can recall all sorts of everyday things, not just traumatic stuff.

At the age of 9 I began keeping a diary and did so for the next 20 years, so maybe that helped to cement many memories.

My memories are like a brief replaying of a video (from my perspective) and start from when I was about 2.

There's a lot I dont recall, even from adulthood. I just have no memory at all. It sometimes gets to the point I might think it never really happened someone is making it all up.

I have lots and very clear memories of my life up to about 18. I can remember being two years old even. But after 18? Hardly anything. It's so weird. Am 39 now and I think my brain is "full" of childhood memories and can't make any more.

I wonder how many people's memories are internalised versions of stories told to them. Not everyone, bit for example I remember the Christmas I got a did on a pull cord, but I also know I've been told about it, so at what point does my real memory become supplanted by the retelling of other people's version of my memory and also my own?

I have first memories of locations, not very vivid from about 6 years old. My memories get clearer from about 10

I remember lots of things from when I was four years old onwards. I had a pair of red Mary Jane shoes with double buckles, and I remember putting them on my bare feet myself, but freaking out when my mum buckled them up.

Also loads of memories about nursery and infant school, some of them in a lot of detail. For instance, when we once played "guess who's speaking in a funny voice", I remember standing up to have my turn, being blindfolded with a flowery scarf, hearing the voice, and the grinning face of the girl who did speak, when it was revealed.

Not very many memories at all and my childhood was pretty happy and stable.

I was wondering about this the other day when looking at my kids- the amount of effort we put in and the buggers won’t remember any of it!

I can remember a lots from starting school onwards when I would have been almost 5

I do have a few memories from prior to that (playgroup etc) but only a small number without much detail

My Dad has always maintained that he can remember being in a cot and I have no reason to doubt him

I have memories of being very young - about 8 months or so. I have very clear memories of most of my childhood until I was about 10. After that, it’s a bit more hit and miss.

Ask me to tell you what I did last weekend or what I had for dinner last night though and I have no clue!

I have flashes of memory from when I was younger. I get a lot of deja vu which I think I'd linked to childhood memories. I sometimes know directions around places I shouldn't know.

However I can barely remember what I did on holiday last year so I'm not surprised my memory isn't 100% for my childhood

I have hazy memories from maybe 2-3, various events from perhaps 3 onwards and very clear recollections from School age. I always imagined this to be the norm.
For the people who don't remember much, isn't concerning to have so many blanks? I think I'd be concerned I'd repressed some kind of trauma.

I have vivid memories of the first house we lived in. I can even remember the layout, and the children along the road that I played with. I was nearly three and a half when we moved in the March, and I remember playing in the garden the previous summer when I was two. So I definitely can remember as far back as that.

Nope. I can remember one or two things if I really try. I've had my own children from my late teens though so I think my memory bank is focussed on them.

No. Even the bits I do remember are bits I have been 'told', I think.

I remember a few things. Snippets in time. I think my earliest memory is of being scared at the seaside. I was 2 or 3. I think someone must have said we needed to hurry up as the tide was coming in and I thought we were all going to die! I can remember walking out of the toilets to ask for help with my clothes at about 4 at play school and the lady being dismissive as I was one of the older ones. I was embarrassed. I can remember the layout at my infants and juniors (and I went on to middle school at 9). I remember my teachers, sitting in assembly. A few trips or things we did. Who I was partnered with. I remember my mum missing the summer fair because she got the date wrong. She was really upset. Walking to swimming or from one building to another ither. I remember being made to take part in the harvest festival When I was about 6 and hating it. I was so nervous I got my line wrong. Visiting school friends houses. Going on holiday. Doing things with my parents, shopping, picnics etc. Family get togethers. Quite a bit actually when I sit and think.

My memories start from 4years but the other day dm corrected me and told me a situation I was describing happened when I was 3. So what I thought was my earliest memory was in fact not my earliest memory.

I don't think my pre school memories are what I have been told as they aren't of significant events. Things like popping a bubble in green paint, the flowers in the back garden, being allowed to give the money to the bus conductor, my Dad carrying my baby brother in a cream coloured sling, trivial stuff. There are one or two things my husband has said we have done as younger adults (seeing a play , going to a concert etc) that I don't recall at all.

My first memory is the day my brother was born at home when I was 2 years 4 months. I also remember the holiday a few months later.

I think the older you get the less you remember from childhood generally.

Some people's brains work differently. Dh has awful memory of childhood but great for so many other things. He still remembers certain events though and his mum tells me when they all happened.

I had one friend who remembered nothing, even as a teenager! At 18 she told me she couldn't remember anything before 10 I later found out she had a very stressful childhood.

There is also the loftus and palmer effect. Photos and stories implant as a memory even though they are not.

Yes. Some of them are things I've been told that have turned into "memories" (e.g collecting my brother from hospital when I was two - I have a clear memory but all the actual details of the building, what my mum was wearing etc are wrong!).

I have lots of proper memories though of things that happened, both mundane and "memorable" from the age of about 4 though.

I can also remember quite clearly how I felt and reasoned at quite a young age which has really helped with empathising with dc.

My earliest memory I was under 2. I can date it because it was climbing onto the windowsill to wave and dsis going to preschool and feeling very proud that I had managed it. She left preschool before I was 2yo.

After that my next memories I was 3yo, but I have lots of memories from 3yo. Part of that is lots of interesting things that I can date happened when I was 3yo-like moving house.

Dh otoh can remember very little before he was secondary school age.