Countless Things We Experienced As Children But Never Actually Spoke About During Adulthood
Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster.
I can honestly say that my kids will never experience the kind of childhood I did. And you know, I'm sure our parents said the same thing about the way we were raised.
But '90s babies had a truly special, absolutely one-of-a-kind upbringing. We literally watched technology soar like a lightning strike.
It was gradual at first, and then just, BOOM. It struck. And then it stuck.
Krystine Batcho is a licensed psychologist and scholar in nostalgia at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. She's shared a lot about how childhood experiences frame our lives for our future selves.
She developed a universal tool to see how our emotions measure up toward the past by using The Nostalgia Inventory Test. The test measures just how deeply and how often people feel nostalgic.
1. I still do this; I'm not even going to lie to you.
emersonic4202. I'll never forget these pens.
dynamaux3. Or those candy cigarettes!
aimfromproland
4. This is anxiety manifesting, I swear. LOL
FahadKhreji
5. GO. T O G E T H E R.
HonorTheGift
6. For real. HA
sssniperwolf
7. Never forget.
90smadness
8. Truly. <3
RavenClaw568
“Childhood memories can influence adult lives in a number of ways. They can contribute to our overall sense of happiness in life.”
I'm not at all surprised by the fact that the social experiences we went through as children directly impacted our adult lives.
“Positive childhood social events, such as family get-togethers during the holidays or parties to celebrate birthdays or achievements, help establish good self-esteem and healthy social skills in adulthood.”
Her lifelong research suggests that “positive childhood memories are associated with more adaptive coping skills in adulthood.”
9. Damn popsicles!
DatElonMusketeer
10. IT'S ALL FINE!
TheVanquisher5
11. For sure.
Coffee County Manchester Public Library
12. Yuuup.
nostalgia
13. Give it up!
Alt_Keili
14. Magma.
I-played-the-floor-is-hot-lava-game-when-I-was-a-kid
15. Yaaaaas!
Tommy9111
16. Here's how we learned about shyness. Lol
AndyLeeman91
To be frank, people who have happier memories as children are less likely to have negative ways of coping with stress, such as substance abuse or escapist behavior. As you age, it becomes very clear that healthy coping mechanisms are absolutely not something we are born with, but rather something we learn.
“We learn during childhood by role modeling trusted adults, and memories of how respected adults coped with adversity,” the professor explained.
17. I swore I could see outer space.
Memedics
18. Run fast. Super, duper fast.
LHG02
19. I reaaaally want to get my kids a rug just like this.
KingOfAthena
20. Something I definitely haven't done as an adult.
21. Ahhh snap!
fabelarde
22. Awkward...
hostinglaughs
23. Aw man.
Lil_pants
24. Legit.
dark_cawlisse
Batch goes on to explain that cherishing memories as children is referred to as “rosy retrospection,” which is a tendency to remember the past as better than it really was.”
She then went on to say, “A favorable focus on the past helps most people remain healthy and happy despite the practical and emotional challenges of adult life.”
25. They. Were. So. Hot.
GlipGlopKing28
26. Cue your best villainous laugh.
teaandlaughter
27. Sceeeeerch.
Lightningmcmeth69
28. Ahhh no!
suboppheh
29. HA!
amqdio
30. Correction: we were always hungry.
villas3123
31. For real though, why did we do this?
unknown
32. Dads just know!
FuckingGratitude
I'll definitely admit that someone's current mood has a direct impact on how they ultimately retrieve their memories.
“When we are sad or depressed, we are more likely to remember negative events in our past and recall past experiences less favorably.”
So the next time you're feeling down, it's probably best to let things stay rested so that you don't distort events that occurred throughout your life.
33. Ah, it tastes so good.
34. Hey, look what I can do.
Superkip_
35. Nothin' but a scientist.
36. We play this with our kids before bed. Ha. My daughter actually enjoys being the rotten egg. LOL
Briain-Fahy
37. Whyyyyyy.
90smadness
38. GOTCHA!
Flame_Draconic
39. Ha. Adult me says very few actually care.
cumrascal
40. BEST!
blackwatchdoctor
Definitely let us know in the comments if any of you experienced some déjà vu from these descriptions!
Some of them hit me like a brick wall. But I definitely remember and relate to every single one!
Remember, parents, your kids only get one childhood, so do your best to ensure that you're giving them a childhood they don't have to recover from. <3
