What is your earliest memory? Is it true that most people can't remember anything prior to the age of three?

Question

My first memory is of my 3rd birthday when I met my father for the first time, at least as far as I was concerned. He had left my mother and me when I was 3 months old to report for active duty in the U.S. Navy, and of course I didn't remember that. I have the most vivid memory that when I met him I took an instant dislike for him, an opinion which later turned out to be valid. I believe that little children often have a unique ability to see into the very souls of adults, and that it may be a survival mechanism of our species.

Answer 1

The brain doesn't effectively store alot of memories in early childhood. It usually has to be a pretty big deal to the child in order to store a memory.

Sometimes people hear stories of their early childhood and put pictures in their mind with the stories they are told. They come to be like memories...

The situation you describe sounds pretty legitimate. If he was scary, you probably did store a memory.

Answer 2

I was 4 years old. I remember my foster mother making these little dollar sized pancakes. She could have made regular ones that would take a lot less time but she didn't. Then she would arrange them on my plate into a face and other shapes. I agree with you about little children having a 6th sense. I think animals have that too.

Answer 3

My visual first memory is when I was two, and I saw my little sister in the hospital the day after she was born. I can tell you want I was wearing and my dad and I went to the officers club to have hamburgers to celebrate.

I have a more organic memory of my dad flying in Vietnam and not coming home for a long time, I was around one, but that is more of a feeling than an actual experience I can visualize.

Answer 4

i remember that at 3, i had to be left in a kindergarten with the nanny, and she attracted me inside by giving me some candies, while my mother left, and when i returned in the yard, she wasn't there any more. but i do remember that i was much younger (at most 2yrs old when my parents were reading to me from some books or when i didn't want to go to bed and it was probably nighttime because i wanted to play, and i was probably younger than 2 yrs old)...

Answer 5

my first memory was me tryin to take my first steps. i think i was like almost 2. i can still picture my mom calling me, sayin come here. i can still picture what she was wearing too. so no i dont believe that u dont remember anythin before the age of 3.

Answer 6

Its not true, people no matter young or old, they only remember shocking things in life, like a child if slapped wll always hate that guy, even though he doesn't remember, so anything which is shocking, observing or new thing will always be remembered, I remember I was very young, I saw my parents having sex and they were smiling at me,

Answer 7

i was about 2 1/2. My parents were watching a "scary movie" and I had to leave the room.

Answer 8

My earliest memory is of my baby sister. She is 3 and 1/2 years younger than I am. I remember my mother took me into the room to introduce me to her. I saw her in the crib crying (unaaaaa, unnaaaa), it was very distinctive. And I ask my mom why is she crying like that? She said thats how baby cries. That's when I knew....

I'm not the baby anymore.

Answer 9

Sitting on a giant sand pile (ok, it was giant to me) and looking back from it to the house where my parents were watching me play.

Answer 10

ny strong memory is at about 3
but i think some can remember younger