How much do you remember in your first 20 years of life?

[Anonymous]

43 and I remember stuff from when I was 4 and everything since then. If I forget something I just think for a bit.

[Anonymous]

I remember almost everything since I was 3. I paid attention to every detail and thought about it as it happened. I was not the kid to throw a tantrum. There was nobody to watch my tantrum and I was too busy wondering around small village. If I cried, then under the blankets or very quietly standing or walking like when I got stung by 3 bees.
I see myself as if it is a movie and the camera on a drone is right above me following me or where my eye are.
I remember the smells, the temperature, the tastes, the atmosphere. Not much was happening in a small town growing up.
I remember less from age 20-40 after moving to DC, because so many things happened to me. I had to deal with every situation, but had no time to think about them. I can go back and put things in chronological order based on when I went to school and started to work.

[Anonymous]

I’ve long had a six year patch with few memories due to near daily CSA. After a TBI a couple years ago, I’ve lost some details outside of that six year frame, but I’m already used to things being patchy and needing to look at photos and ephemera.

I remember bits of HS, college, and grad school graduations, but I think that is normal. My two youngest graduated less than a year ago and remember almost nothing already!

[Anonymous]

I think the older you get, the more memories start to fade or become rewritten. For example, at 30, I could tell you more about what I did at 15 vs. at 47, recalling 15. This is partly because new memories replace older ones due to bandwidth, and also because, as you get older, you rethink situations from an adult/more mature perspective and rewrite the events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:43 and I remember stuff from when I was 4 and everything since then. If I forget something I just think for a bit.

This is me, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember so little of my first 20 years, and I'm wondering how it compares to others.

Do you remember your high school graduation? Where it was, what you wore, what you did afterwards?

Do you remember feeling intense love for your parents as a child?

Do you remember your college graduation?

Do you remember what you did most days after school in elementary, middle, high school (what your general routine was, not specific days
Do you remember what childhood dinners were like with your family?

I'm just curious....I have trouble remembering all of these things except for college graduation. I feel like memories don't imprint on me very well...

Were you stoned, drunk, or in a coma? I can remember instances when I was 2-4 and remember kindergarten grammar school, to the present.

[Anonymous]

I discussed something similar with my middle school daughter who could not remember some of her elementary teachers' names. I could remember almost all of my elementary teachers but not many from middle school or high school. I am surprised she can't remember some of them.

[Anonymous]

I can remember all of that, yes. I am 43, for reference.

Do you remember your high school graduation? Where it was, what you wore, what you did afterwards? It was at the GMU Patriot Center. We were required to wear a white dress, and this was in 2000, so the shoes of choice for every graduate that year were the black Steve Madden platform sandals. And afterward we had a school sponsored grad night party at the local YMCA. It ran from 11 PM to 6 AM and included all kinds of games, swimming, movies, karaoke, and giveaways.

Do you remember feeling intense love for your parents as a child? Intense love? I don't think so. But I can remember periods of extreme love for them, like when they said I wasn't getting a specific toy for Christmas and then surprised me with it."

Do you remember your college graduation? Yes, and I can remember the emotions I was feeling that day as the first college graduate in my family on both sides. I remember the pride on my dad's face and the exceptionally tight hug my mom gave me. I remember how I immediately found them in the crowd of thousands when I sat in my seat and the out-of-character wave I gave them as I walked across the stage.

Do you remember what you did most days after school in elementary, middle, high school (what your general routine was, not specific days!) Elementary-went to a babysitter's house. We got a snack and played outside on the playground or in her basement until my mom picked us up at 6. Middle-arrived home at 3:45, made a snack, and watched Oprah at 4 while doing my homework. High school-arrived home at around 4:30 and did my homework as fast as possible to be able to hang with friends after or go to work after.

Do you remember what childhood dinners were like with your family? So! Many! Canned! Veggies! And so many casseroles...tuna noodle, chicken noodle, taco, pizza, etc.

I've always had a very good memory, though. I can remember outfits I was wearing on specific big dates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember so little of my first 20 years, and I'm wondering how it compares to others.

Do you remember your high school graduation? Where it was, what you wore, what you did afterwards?

Do you remember feeling intense love for your parents as a child?

Do you remember your college graduation?

Do you remember what you did most days after school in elementary, middle, high school (what your general routine was, not specific days!)

Do you remember what childhood dinners were like with your family?

I'm just curious....I have trouble remembering all of these things except for college graduation. I feel like memories don't imprint on me very well...

We're you emotionally neglected? If so, this is very normal, because you spent so much time in lalaland playing escapist to your own life. Me too.

she blames her parents and siblings for a traumatic childhood. In her mind, the past trauma is the reason she is failing to function in an adult world. I guess this is easier for her than facing the truth: she's the only reason she's dysfunctional.

Yeah, that’s not the way psychology works on the developing brain. But, hey, if it makes you feel better to blame a victim - go for it.

[Anonymous]

I remember it all, vividly.

I’m 55.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember so little of my first 20 years, and I'm wondering how it compares to others.

Do you remember your high school graduation? Where it was, what you wore, what you did afterwards?

Do you remember feeling intense love for your parents as a child?

Do you remember your college graduation?

Do you remember what you did most days after school in elementary, middle, high school (what your general routine was, not specific days!)

Do you remember what childhood dinners were like with your family?

I'm just curious....I have trouble remembering all of these things except for college graduation. I feel like memories don't imprint on me very well...

Not much

High school graduation. No

Dinners. Fighting and nasty food.

Intense feelings of love. No. I wondered why my parents had me.

After school. Homework, cook, clean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember so little of my first 20 years, and I'm wondering how it compares to others.

Do you remember your high school graduation? Where it was, what you wore, what you did afterwards?

Do you remember feeling intense love for your parents as a child?

Do you remember your college graduation?

Do you remember what you did most days after school in elementary, middle, high school (what your general routine was, not specific days!)

Do you remember what childhood dinners were like with your family?

I'm just curious....I have trouble remembering all of these things except for college graduation. I feel like memories don't imprint on me very well...

Not much

High school graduation. No

Dinners. Fighting and nasty food.

Intense feelings of love. No. I wondered why my parents had me.

After school. Homework, cook, clean.

College and grad school graduation my parents would not go to saying it was boring.

[Anonymous]

I'm 63 and remember all of that.

High school graduation my grandmother flew in from Minnesota and we had a small party at the house, then my boyfriend and I wen out.

Dinners were simple things typically, a salad, a potato, and chicken or beef. Special treats were making pizza that cake in a box together or popping popcorn on the stove.

Love? yes, but often anger.

After school? We'd come home and play sports in our cul de sac or Barbie's or board games in somebody's house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I hate that I can't remember many things. I've never known how to be present. I blame my dad.

I think it’s a gift to have a bad memory.

Mine is very sharp and it makes life pretty painful. I remember promises made and so it hurts when they are forgotten or broken, I remember the horrible things my parents said to and about me (verbally abusive childhood, so no intense love for parents at all), I remember places and homes I’ve left and am more homesick than most people. I’m sure when I start losing people close to me it will be acutely painful.

[Anonymous]

Some but not much and certainly not a bunch of detail. Like I remember about 3 minutes of high school graduation and a little more of college graduation. 54.

No trauma.