What are your HAPPIEST and most VIVID childhood memories?

[FrannyandZooey]

Things that really stand out for you? Were they with your parents, other kids, siblings, by yourself? What were you doing?

Some of mine are:

sitting by myself under the willow tree in our front garden making designs for cars in chalk on scraps of paper

going for long walks in the woods with my parents

having sleepovers with friends, highlights including bouncing on the bed, 'streaking', and midnight feasts

looking at the stars at night with my dad

running along the beach by myself and exploring all the places around my home on my bike

yes I think I agree colditz

I feel pretty sure they are not allowed to do that enough these days

I wandered about all over the place when I was 9, nobody knew where I was

I have read threads on here where people say they wouldn't let their children go out by themselves until they were 13 or whatever and I KNOW some people live in more dicey areas than others, but I think it is pretty widespread

Too many to post.

I had a charmed childhood. I didn't know it at the time but it was truly charmed.

Honestly I could go on for pages. I've already posted about 3 lists! I just wanted to show that, for me anyway, my parents did figure in my happy memories when I was littler ... I would have to say after about 10 they don't really feature though!

Tomato ketchup sandwiches in my tent in my garden.

I thought of this when I sent ds1 outside to eat his tea in his playhouse - he was thrilled, I think I have given him a memory.

Mine actually don't figure that much, but contributed to the fact that I had an average serene childhood

Running through very tall ferns in the forest of Birse in Aberdeenshire with my family.

Stepping stones at Loch Muich.

Camping with my dad and unzipping the tent in the morning to see a deer staring at us.

Running around on the beach and golf course with the other kids from the neighbourhood after school and being called in for dinner, always with pudding.

Mum's home made candy bars (millionaires shortbread) on my birthday.

Going on holiday in the summer (this was a fortnight in Broadstairs, Kent, so not exactly luxurious, but we went to the beach and the park and really enjoyed it!)

Also, playing with my wooden dolls with my sister and my Amanda Jane doll, and our teddies (my sister and I still have those teds, aven though we are now 45 and the teds still talk to each other over the phone!)

Actually quite enjoyed some things about school, and am currently reliving that by helping out in ds's school.

Mrs Carrot are you from up Yorkshire way? I live Staffs now but from York originally

going to the isle of wight - alot!

Most of them with my twin as we were not surprisingly very rarely apart. Best times was just playing for hours with her in our own world often in our summer house. Also remember a camping holiday where we were allowed to sleep outside and falling asleep under the stars. Christmas was always wonderful too as there was 8 of us in the house and the tree was a real one and huge and it seemed at the time that everyone got on really well and my grandad used to carve the turkey and tell jokes. I think I do my best to recreate the best bits of my childhood with my children and give them lots of freedom.

holidays in france

Dressing up and playing Marine Boy with my brother and sister.

Belly surfing down the stairs.

Pretending to be asleep so Dad would carry me upstairs and put me to bed.

"I thought of this when I sent ds1 outside to eat his tea in his playhouse - he was thrilled, I think I have given him a memory"

colditz YES

I have lots of happy memories about going on holiday or even on long country walks with my family..

We used to have a caravan on the coast in Norfolk and go & stay for weekends - i used to love the novelty of sleeping in pull down bunks

Going to stay with my grandparents - one set lived on a farm and the others by the sea so we had mini-holidays every time we visited them

I don't remember much day to day stuff but what I do remember was happy as well, the thing I worry about is i used to have so much fun with my sister, and DS doesn;t have any siblings

I can;t replicate that bit for him

FK I think it is the SPIRIT rather than the details that we should be trying to replicate

I didn't have any siblings near my age - had some very good close friends though

Mapickle- I'm not from Yorkshire, no, but we went there for Easter, Carparby in Wensleydale and it was one of the nicest holidays I've had, really peaceful. DH was taken to Bolton Abbey lots as a child and he wanted to go there again. The children loved it, jumping around on the ruins, it make such a nice change to be allowed to climb on the monument. A lovely day.

Franny- Where in Norfolk did you camp? That's where we are and we either camp in North norfolk, (Stiffkey or Wells) or Southwold/Walberswick, which is of course, Suffolk

Spider- Belly surfing down the stairs, that's just brought back another memory, sliding down in sleeping bags! Although, it's partially good as some of my claustrophobia comes from some one sitting on the end of one that I was in head first. A nylon brown and orange one, was talking about that on another thread today, having a phobia of brown sleeping bags!

MrsC that was FrayedKnot rather than me, but I have camped at, and loved, Southwold, Walberswick and oooh what is that place that's fallen into the sea?

It's Dunwich, Franny.

We went there in the Easter holidays, and there was a fire in the reed beds behind the beach, and 3 fire engines and a fire car turned up and ds (aged 6, who is a real fire engine addict ) thought it was great - perhaps that will be one of his great childhood memories lol!

Frayed knot

My DS is an only child. Not through choice and I will not bore you with the details.

We big up a lot of things for him, that he possibly should have a sibling with him.

I know where you are coming from but you can not let it mar your here and now. CAT if you need to chat.

LGJ

thanks SMTB

all my camping was done as an adult, btw

more great life memories

we are planning to take ds for the first time this summer

We took ds camping for the first time when he was 4. He loves it. We usually go with another family who have 2 children (one ds's age, one a couple of years older). Just for a weekend, but ds thinks it's great, he has a couple of friends to play with etc.

I'm not really a camping type, and wouldn't do it for a main holiday, but doing it for a weekend for ds is great.

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