Memories of childhood / youth: how much is normal and more importantly how little isn't?

Question

I was wondering: I know it varies from person to person and they say you remember more as you grow up but is there a measure at all, a way to say how many or few memories are the average?
Also is there a reason why someone remembers hardly anything that is not connected to any kind of trauma? Can it be for instance - excuse me if this sounds silly - that you spent a lot of time with your mind elsewhere and so didn't really pick up much of what was going on around you? Again, is that possible without the reason of trauma?

Answer 1

I don't know whether there is any measure of how much of our childhood memories we should be able to recall. The human brain is a marvel but our recall ability is relatively poor compared with other brain functions.

An exercise I have done a couple of times is to try to recall a random memory from each year of my life (and I have been around for a long time!).

To do this I started with my age last year and tried to remember something that happened to me at that age - easy peasy! But as I went back each year I needed 'hooks' to grab on to for example I had to think -where was I working when I was 38? who were my friends? what clothes did I wear ? what car did I drive?

All of these questions made me recall different things.

Going back through my twenties and teens I did the same so that by the time I was 10 or 9 or 7 the questions were related to which school, which teachers, which friends and for me trying to remember a favourite or hated item of clothing worked every time.

By doing this it is possible to go right back to being a toddler but it takes practise.

We have all our memories stored in our brains but we only remember useful things, highlights and traumas unless we make a specific effort.

The whole thing is interesting but pointless - as survivors we only need the useful memories or memories of the traumas and dangers to ensure we learn from them and, of course the good times so that we can repeat good experiences.

Answer 2

I can remember things from when i was less than 2 yrs old, I remember good things and bad but have always had a very good memory, I thankfully never suffered trauma during childhood and what I do remember is not terribly significant just normal everyday stuff, I mean I can remeber being in a cot and smiling through the bars at my older sister, I think some people dont remember things that caused them trauma because thier way of dealing with it is to block the memory out.

Answer 3

I think it can depend on just how much you retain. I can't remember a lot from my childhood and had no major traumas in those early years - I just have really bad memory!

Answer 4

I had quite a bad childhood, "trauma" and remember very little of. You may have something there

Answer 5

Hmm, i can not think of of many fondest innovations off the spot, for me besides it could maximum probable take some meditation and what to not discover that. whilst i glance lower back on my childhood we are going to say 13 year- 5 yrs what i see is all black. it quite is extremely not common to work out previous "the black", because of the fact it quite is been positioned on-top of the forged innovations... a kind of days i'm going to dig it up, whilst i know I wont self medicate and destruct. i think of it must be this way for alot of human beings.

Answer 6

I think memories have a lot to do with talking about events and having photos to remind you . My mum always talked of things that happened and nearly always had a camera in front of her face. I'm sure this is why I remember so much.

Answer 7

My first memory is from when I was three. I still have lots and lots of memories from my very early childhood. I had a very stable and loving child and youth hood. I very very rarely disagreed with my parents. Maybe I'm lucky.