What is your earliest memory?

[Kim Mild]

I remember visiting my grandad in hospital. It was the Christmas before I turned 3 .
I also remember being at toddler group and it rained heavy and one of the mothers was wearing sandals .

 

[Sickofinstacrap]

I remember my brother being born and my dad having to dress me for nursery and I was so embarrassed by what he dressed me in, i was about 2 and a half. I remember going shopping with my nana when i was 3 and falling asleep in the car and waking up parked in our shed so confused, on my own screaming cos i couldn't get out of the car and i must have been ill because i remember then getting an ear infection! I remember touching a light bulb, burning my hand and my dad going crazy at me i remember from such a young age that magical feeling Christmas morning and swearing blind you heard santa up on the roof

 

[Miss Havisham]

I have frequently heard, that memories cannot stretch back to before we are three years old. I will be one of many, that dispute this, as I have two very vivid memories. A psychologist may say that I have formed these memories, from bits of other information and later memories - but they have always felt very real to me.
I remember sitting on my grandfathers knee. He was wearing a heavy knit cardigan, with those old wooden effect buttons. I was 22 months old when he died, so some experts will say that it’s not a real memory.
I also recall sitting in a four wheeler pram, and freewheeling down a flight of stairs, like there was nobody holding it. The stairs were dark grey - a communal stairway, and not in a house as such.

 

[Kim Mild]

I have frequently heard, that memories cannot stretch back to before we are three years old. I will be one of many, that dispute this, as I have two very vivid memories. A psychologist may say that I have formed these memories, from bits of other information and later memories - but they have always felt very real to me.
I remember sitting on my grandfathers knee. He was wearing a heavy knit cardigan, with those old wooden effect buttons. I was 22 months old when he died, so some experts will say that it’s not a real memory.
I also recall sitting in a four wheeler pram, and freewheeling down a flight of stairs, like there was nobody holding it. The stairs were dark grey - a communal stairway, and not in a house as such.

They say we don't remember the original event, we remember thinking of our memory of it.

 

[pushypony]

I remember my second Christmas at 13 months old and the presents I received from Santa. I also vividly recall being taken from our garden as a 3 yr old and forced into a stream by local boys. It was a very unsettling incident and the police were called.

 

[Tricham]

Such a random and boring one but I can remember my nappy being changed by my mum once. No idea why the memory stuck but I can remember where I was.. in the lounge on the rug. My mum still lives in the house so maybe that's why it jogs my memory. Other than that I don't have any memories from before 3 or 4! As others have experienced, and makes sense really.. you are going to remember things that were traumatic (or really exciting), and I never had anything bad happen to me.

 

[LittleMy]

Being terrified in a ball pool at the age of 2 while on holiday to Blackpool with my family in the 90s (I’m told it was Jungle Jim’s soft play). I vividly recall everything looking so big and not being able to see my mum or dad (who were probably sitting nearby). It took me a long time to get over my fear of them, and now, as an adult of young children who aren’t afraid of them one bit, I still dislike them (mostly because they’re a breeding ground for germs).

 

[hnoz]

I honestly think my earliest memory was like a year ago
I have loads of manufacturered memories where I think I remember but I’ve actually created a story in my head from a picture.

 

[Cookiecookie]

My two years younger than me sister eating my Donald Duck sponge (she made sure to save hers until last) I would've been 3 and a bit. It's my first real memory of having a sister too, which probably says a fair bit about our relationship! I also remember her eating the soap too, strange little girl

 

[ChloChlo]

I think photographs can prolong a memory too as well as it being an incident in the family no one ever stops talking about.

And that I can differ between the memories that I have revoked through photographs, stories, etc and what "true first hand memories" judging by the level of childhood perception in them.

One of my memories is a family trip to Margate, I remember the pink sun dress I wore and my cousin going missing and us all driving to collect him from a police station when he was found, I also seemed to have detailed memories of what everyone was wearing. However a few photographs of said trip featured along my nans mantelpiece growing up and any time we were there someone would point out remembering that day or would talk about it. I would have been far too small to remember myself and my memory of that day seem to have no childhood perception of anything.

 

[Fancyfeathers]

My earliest was about 4 and starting school i still remember the smell of the chunky crayons even now

 

[SamBamford]

I can recall being a nursery and dying for the toilet but too scared to ask, the teacher was a shouter and I was terrified of her. It was almost home-time so I'd be home soon and could go there. I didn't manage and soiled myself. Once home my Dad got the smell of me, put my clothes in a bucket and sat me in the sink. Grandma came and said 'Oh, what have you done with the poor little love?' and wrapped me in a towel and sorted it all out. Asked why I hadn't gone to the toilet I said I was refused by the teacher. My Dad shot off to school where she had luckily left for the day, I did tell the truth later on. Now time and memory got hazy with my Dad and he swears this was my brother and he has taken much stick for this over the years but really, it was me. Still not saying though.

 

[idk2]

I was just about to post a new thread about this topic! I was also thinking about it last night

My earliest memory was my Grandma picking me and my cousin up as she was babysitting while our parents worked. When we got in, she told us to be super quiet as my Granddad was having a bad day (He had cancer). I remember sitting on the floor next to my Grandad's head while he lay on the sofa and we watched Who Wants To Be A Millionaire together, even though I probably understood nothing! I have several memories from the ages 3/4 revolving around my Grandad and I was able to narrow down the age because he passed when I had just turned 4.

I think our earliest memories are those where were have a good grasp of language and language comprehension. Theres several studies that link memory and language which is why most peoples earliest memory is 2/3 years old.

 

[265]

My earliest memory, that scene from Dr Who "Spearhead from Space" when the autons woke up in the shops, I was about 3 years old.

Dr Who was never repeated till the 80's and then for anniversary's only, I finally saw the story on Video and I realised some of the
scenes were a little familiar.

In fact when the Dr Who Video collection was building up and realised that many of the Jon Pertwee stories were familiar.

 

[LittleMy]

My earliest memory would be meeting my baby brother for the first time in hospital when I was 2. I remember my Nana doing my hair (she was gentler than my mum). Wearing a white dress and knitted pink cardigan and a pink ribbon in my hair. My dad was there. I remember climbing up onto the hospital bed to cuddle up next to my mum and the new baby.

Another one I remember, around about the same age I think, I was crying my head off in a ball pool at a soft play. I remember being so small and feeling like I couldn’t breathe. I had a fear of ball pools for the longest time after that and avoided them at all costs.

 

[chandlercheesecake]

Doing a poo in my nappy and walking into the kitchen. There was a TV on the counter (the old style ones with the big backs) and the Coronation Street titles were playing. I must've been about 2 I think.

 

[rainbowlemon]

Holding my baby brother just after he was born. Seeing my mum in hospital and hiding behind the curtain. There's a three year gap between us so I was around 3 years and 10 months old.

 

[bunnyboo]

My parents crying on the bed after my brother died. I think I was 2.

 

[Lizzie Mintdrop]

One of my earliest memories is when a boy called me a baby and I was most offended because I had just turned three. I ran inside to get my birthday badge to show him, I remember being outraged that he thought I was a baby