What’s your earliest childhood memory? According to scientists*, childhood memories from aged 0-3 years old are lost forever once the child reaches seven years old. Interesting, but how do we know a memory is our ‘earliest’? How do we choose which memories to keep? And what have dandelions got to do with it?!

As Spring emerges and I’m feeling more in touch with nature, I’m mindful of family summers passed. I often measure the passage of time by these summers. Two summers ago we moved to our new house. Three summers ago we holidayed in Spain. I find myself ordering my family memories chronologically by key events. My son does the same, and these memories tend to involve outdoor mishaps:

• falling into the pool in Madrid, age one
• eating a dandelion in Cornwall, age two
• bouncing off the trampoline at Auntie Sue’s, age four
• tumbling into a ditch on a bike ride, age five

All these events act as little milestones of his development. Hilarious after the event, once you’re reassured no bones are broken. And even more brilliant if you’ve captured the memory on paper, camera or video so you can revisit the moment whenever you like.

[video width="480" height="360" m4v="http://www.journalsofalifetime.com/wordpress/wordpress/www.journalsofalifetime.comblogwp-content/uploads/2016/03/IMG_0451-7.m4v"][/video]

The hilarious video of the dandelion-eating episode is among our archive of key family moments. Alongside holiday snaps, his childhood journal Our Story, a keepsake box filled with teeth and other body parts, a scar on his knee and other bits of historical evidence, this video provides a window into his little life aged two. Important relics like these help the whole family to recall the key memories that get reinforced over and over again as the years pass by.

Journals and keepsakes play an important part in defining our memories. They provide little snapshots into family life. In essence, we are all memory makers. We are constantly making decisions about which moments we hold onto, and which we let go of. And, over the years, we are all making judgments about what memories are significant and worth preserving. And which ones are inconsequential. Often the latter are just as valuable – everyday uncelebrated moments that shape our unique family culture and values. The things we do that make us ‘us’! Priceless.

What special – or seemingly insignificant – childhood moments will you capture today? Check out the range of award-winning Journals of a Lifetime range to inspire you.

RESEARCH:
*Scientists pinpoint age when memories fade [Telegraph 2015]