[Seany (OP)]

I'm 13.. But I can't remember what I did, or happened when I was 3!!

However.. When' I'm 23... I'll be able to remember what I did, or happened when I was 13!

How come?

[_Stefan_]

The rate of forgetting is much higher when you're younger. There are a couple podcasts about this, but I can't remember which.

[Seany (OP)]

But why is this??

[DoctorBeaver]

Babies' brains aren't fully wired up. Plus, of course, they are much smaller than an adult's. The only parts of the brain that are functional at a very early age are those that handle the senses & autonomic functions. 1 of the most obvious of these, as any parent is all too aware, is the sense of hunger. This brings the response of crying to get the carer's attention.

As the baby grows, the brain develops the capacity for limited emotional responses; e.g. happy burbling and smiling when played with.

The areas concerned with memory aren't developed until between 2 and 4 years old.

You mind find this informative...

http://www.phil.mq.edu.au/staff/jsutton/CognitiveConceptionsofLanguage.htm

[paul.fr]

more to the point, how come i can't remember what i did yesterday!

[DoctorBeaver]

more to the point, how come i can't remember what i did yesterday!

[Soul Surfer]

You can remember things into quite young childhood but what was important to you then was very different to what is important now.  Also if you have stayed in one place all your life it can be difficult to sort out the early memories from the later ones.  When I was quite three and a half years old we moved house to a very different location and never went back there (until a year ago) and I can remember details of that house and its surroundings over a considerable part of a year including summer and winter details.  The images and proportions are those that apply to a very small person so I have good reason to beleive that these are genuine memories of things over the period back to when I was a couple of years old.

[JimBob]

more to the point, how come i can't remember what i did yesterday!

You were dropped on your head when you were a lad of 12 in your mother's arms, Paul

That is why you don't remember.

[kdlynn]

my earliest memory is from when i was about nineteen months old, but it wasn't a pleasant one. i think that if something incredibly life changing happens you can probably remember pretty early in your life

[paul.fr]

You were dropped on your head when you were a lad of 12 in your mother's arms, Paul

That is why you don't remember.

Thanks, JimBob! Are you trying to say i was a snivilling little mummys boy up to the age of 12? Although the being dropped on my head bit account for me...oh what was it...

[Karen W.]

LOL LOL Hi Paul!

[ukmicky]

How come I can't remember what happened when I was a baby?

Imagine remembering being born. It would feel like going from heaven to hell. And to welcome you they then slap your bum and stick a tube down your throat. You would be traumatised for life. You would never want to go near a doctor or a woman again.

[JimBob]

You were dropped on your head when you were a lad of 12 in your mother's arms, Paul

That is why you don't remember.

Thanks, JimBob! Are you trying to say i was a snivilling little mummys boy up to the age of 12? Although the being dropped on my head bit account for me...oh what was it...

One need only ask one's self.

[Karen W.]

How come I can't remember what happened when I was a baby?

Imagine remembering being born. It would feel like going from heaven to hell. And to welcome you they then slap your bum and stick a tube down your throat. You would be traumatised for life. You would never want to go near a doctor or a woman again.

Yep Pretty traumatic I think.. and there are studies out there on the trauma of birth and of people being hypnotized and going back that far in memories.. I don't know how I feel about that and how much was recall from being told things and ones head putting pictures to the words you have heard over the years or what!

[Peteuplink]

Some people seem to remember more from being a baby than others. For instance I can remember learning to walk. My sister taught me and it was going well until I fell over my teddy bear and had a crying fit. I can also remember seeing my very first thunder storm.

[Peteuplink]

Oops, sorry didn't realise I just bumped an old post. I just saw it in the "random post" section on the forum and thought it was still active.

Note to self: look at the dates before posting!  []