My Earliest Memory

What's the first real memory you have? That's the thought that got this project started. The project wants to collect those precious first memories and the stories behind them. And it will evolve into a bigger project. If you want to have your first memory featured, please read the rules - yes, there are rules - and then email your submission to myearliestmemory [at] gmail [dot] com.

[myearliestmemory]

Update Your Bookmarks

My Earliest Memory has moved from Tumblr. This is the archive as of September 2017.

Please visit myearliestmemory for the new (but probably not that much improved) version of the site.

Please note, if you DO happen to submit through Tumblr, your submission will still be received. However, it may take some time to be posted.

Thanks for all the support to date. See you on the new site.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #424

I was three, four or five. At Cape Cod in the winter when it’s snowy. A fight with snow ends and we went to go get warm. I smiled and my father said, “Monty, what happens to your tooth?”

Submitted by Montaina.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #423

I was about 2 or 3 years old and I was sitting there watching TV at my Grandma’s house. My mom and dad were there and I saw the little buttons on the TV so i tried to pick them off but my dad put the coffee table in front of the TV. But I still got to them so they just let me do it till they were gone and I couldn’t do it anymore.

Submitted by Leann.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #422

I was only in 3rd grade and 8 yrs old at the time this happened. I first joined my school’s boys and girls club and we went to the computer lab. All I did was watch YouTube when I saw other people playing Minecraft. I decided to give it a try but I wanted to be in creative mode so I asked someone and instead of switching from Survival to Creative, I only typed in creative under survival mode. I wanted to fly and someone had to do it for me. Now I know lots more about the game and how I might start a YouTube channel.

Submitted by Stefano.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #421

I was five and I went to be babysat by my mom’s friend. When I was being babysat, I watched TV and played video games with her son. Also, one time they bought me McDonald’s on my last day there.

Submitted by Mohamed Kaba.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #420

It was a spring or summer day. We had our old couch, the purple one, which we gave away a few years from the current day, (not exactly). We were sitting on the floor, our backs leaning into the plush couch in our living room. My sister and I were just sitting. All of the sudden she slapped herself across the face; mind you, it wasn’t very hard, but it was easy to hear from the kitchen. “Ryann slapped me, dad!” “No, I didn’t!” We had started another one of our pointless arguments I won though, the more innocent knows the story, and wins it. (Go toddler power!)

Submitted by Ryann.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #419

I was 3-4 (not sure which). I was on my tricycle and my parents were packing or unloading (didn’t know if we were moving in or out). I was in the back yard and I saw my brother riding his bike down the road with his friend. My sister was pushing me on the tricycle because I think we were on grass. I don’t know why I remember this memory, I’ve just held on to it since I was five for some reason.

Submitted by Mohammed.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #418

When I  got my first cat and I was about five or six and I remember this so much cause I wanted a cat. My uncle gave it to my brother but my brother said we could share the cat and I was really happy about that.

Submitted by Sheila Ryan.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #417

I was about 2 ½, and I was going to my mom’s friend’s wedding. It was late at night, and my dad was trying to get me to sleep, but I kept getting up and dancing. Eventually, my grandparents had to take me back to the hotel so I could sleep, which I was not happy about.

Submitted by Ellie.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #416

I think I was three, but another age would not surprise me. The lighting in my memories from this time was often very dim, but this one has soul. The cake was absolutely perfect. It was a huge, one layered, chocolate cake with a beautiful black cat on it. I asked for it two years in a row.

Submitted by N.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #415

I was probably about two or three, and my babysitter was carrying me. I asked her, “a smoothie and a milkshake is the same thing, right?” They are not the same thing, but she said they were. I think she probably just didn’t feel like explaining the difference.

Submitted by Libby.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #414

I was one year old. I remember in the baby swing, rocking back and forth. I watched from afar my cousin swimming in the pool. It was hot outside and I wanted to go in too. But I guess I was to small because they didn’t bring me in. Until hour later they finally did. I remember the cool water splash on my face. And the feeling of relief from the hot, hot space. It was a simple summers day at a house in Florida. That is the first memory that I can remember.

 Submitted by Michaela.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memories #413

What I believed was the taste of cobwebs. Aged 4, at the local fayre. I later learned the cobwebs was candy floss.

Submitted by Neil E.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #412

I was a two year old toddler, and it was the middle of December. My mother dressed me in a tacky, thick green coat, but it was warm enough for me in the cold winter snow. My father decided to slide with me in the snow for the first time. It’s the first image my brain got to keep as a memory and it’s still feels so raw whenever I think about it.

Submitted by K

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #411

I am lying in my crib being beaten. Spanked ? The blows fell on my diaper so I felt no pain but I was startled and bewildered, then peace and silence, then the door flew open there was a black shadow in the door I am again being beaten again.  I felt no pain but was profoundly shocked and bewildered. I feared I would die because I was crying so hard I could not inhale. Then dark and I slept.  Odd to say but I feel that that experience changed my life. I became a child psychiatrist.

Submitted by A French.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #410

The yawning feeling in my belly as the plane banked into land. I was moving from Dallas to Chicago with my family. This was when I was four years old.

Submitted by D.K.

[myearliestmemory]

My Earliest Memory #409

I remember walking slowly towards my mom in our big living room in Jerusalem. She’s sitting on this big step; she had legs crossed, head leaning on hand, crying quietly while watching the TV. On the TV there are people carrying a big box on their shoulders covered with Israel’s flag. White & blue star and stripes. I’m repeatedly asking her “what happened?” “what happened?” “what’s wrong?” with no answer, she just keeps crying quietly. On TV was what I now know to be the funeral of Israel’s prime minister at the time, Isaac Rabin, who was the only hope for peace at the day (with no one else since). He was assassinated.

Submitted by D.