Comments on: Earliest Childhood Memories

By: Bramas

Bramas — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:00:47 +0000

I’m glad to see that it is possible to remember earlier than three years old. I too have some very early memories, which I don’t think anybody believes. I remember trying to imitate the sounds made by my mother and grandmother who were speaking to each other, that was before I could speak. I was sitting on the floor under the dining table, tickling my ears with my blanket. I remember lying in my crib on my stomach with my bum in the air and feeling like I could fly after my grandmother had rubbed me with Vicks. And one even I find hard to believe. I remember being in a room, seeing dark shadows of people and light coming from what must have been windows, sounds of exclamation, and being handed to someone standing in the room. I remember loud crying and suddenly realizing that this was a sound coming from me. I have often wondered whether that was the day I was born, but could not be sure.

By: Nanook

Nanook — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 03:05:00 +0000

From what I've read most of us actually don't have them before two or three. Mine go back to four days old.

I once asked a shrink why I would remember that and he hypothesized that it was because of being adopted and the trauma of being taken away from my birth mother.

But I would think the birth experience itself would be even more traumatic and that was only four days earlier, couldn't have been that much difference in brain development in four days.

By: avocadoinparadise

avocadoinparadise — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 19:50:00 +0000

Those are very interesting. I wonder how those really early experiences shaped your personality, especially the part about being put back on the floor after expending lots of effort. I wonder if that led to the belief that hard work doesn't really get you anywhere. That's what an analyst would say anyway. I think people are shaped by more than just their very earliest experiences. All of the experiences we have throughout life shape us.

I'll write about some early memories in my blog sometime soon. That's a really good idea. We all have them, and don't often talk about them!