What do you consider to be your most memorable childhood moment and why?

Question

Mohit Agrawal · Answer

My heart was pumping at its peak, like a hammer ! Yess!! She agreed!!

I had a crush at the age of 7 :-P. She was my class teacher’s daughter, aged 22 years that time. I still recollecting those moments ; whenever she came, I became helpless totally, adoring her beautiful appearance, alluring voice and ravishing expression. (Today I think that how a 7 years old kid was mad like this :-))

My mother and her mother was like friends so she frequently visited at my place. I was just a kid for her (obviously). She knew that I have a crush on her since I already told this to my mom that I will marry this girl some day and my mom told the same to her. I always think that she also feel the same for me. :-P

I cant forget that picturesque rainy day when we both were walking in the garden. She was asking about my study stuff and all of sudden I proposed her and said “Will you marry me when I grow up to your age” (Mujhse shaadi karogi jab me aapke jitna bada ho jaunga). She was quite for a moment and then burst her laughter. She picked me up and embrace me with grace and said “Yes, I will do”.

I was very happy, feeling enthusiastic, performing good in studies, everyday was going easy, a different feeling. But one day, my mom taken me to a function and there she was, in a costume of bridal. I was in a huge shock. She introduce me to her fiancee and said to him ; “He is the guy I was talking about” referring me(Ye vahi he jinke bare me mene aapko bataya tha) and he (her fiancee) burst out of laughter. That was one of the most embarrassing moment of my life. Everybody around me was laughing. :-(. Actually she played a prank on his fiancee and said to him ‘I already have someone in my life and I want you to meet him’. He was shocked, almost fainted :-P. And finally she introduce me.

And that’s how my innocent tragic love story ends.

Hey, Wait!! Its not end.

Now I am 24 and she would be in her 40s. Two years ago, I met her in the market. Yes !!! I found myself diving into the ocean of childhood memories. She recognized me. We exchanged smiles and discussing about each other’s life. She was in hurry. She expressed an apology for hurry and rushing to her car. She was accompanied by a teenage boy. When she rushing towards the car, I asked about him. And that was the golden moment ; It was like everything is just stopped for a while, She said “ He is my son and his name is Mohit”. She was flashing a smile and I was staring at her till the end(tears in my eyes). And She has gone again, to serving her destiny.

I can not sum up my feelings into words and that was the most memorable childhood moment for me.

Please Bear with poor grammar

Trisha Sharkawy · Answer

The garden behind my family’s house connected to our neighbors land. Early one morning while my mother was tending the garden our neighbor, Mr. McCullough, came out to work in his garden too. He was a quiet older man who stayed indoors most of the time to take care of his sick wife. I was very small and still needed to hold someone’s hand to walk without stumbling if the grass was tall or the ground was uneven. This was the first time I remember someone I didn’t know extending their hand towards mine and asking me directly, “What is your name?” I remember feeling so surprised…. important…. exc

The garden behind my family’s house connected to our neighbors land. Early one morning while my mother was tending the garden our neighbor, Mr. McCullough, came out to work in his garden too. He was a quiet older man who stayed indoors most of the time to take care of his sick wife. I was very small and still needed to hold someone’s hand to walk without stumbling if the grass was tall or the ground was uneven. This was the first time I remember someone I didn’t know extending their hand towards mine and asking me directly, “What is your name?” I remember feeling so surprised…. important…. excited….. so excited that I couldn’t speak. I felt like a “real” person. He smiled at me and asked if I wanted to come see his birds. I nodded my head, “Yes.” He asked my mom’s permission, then took my hand and led me to a large work shed where he raised quail. They moved around our feet as if they were unafraid. He pointed at tall metal towers filled with tiny eggs. Mr. McCullough explained that the lights in the towers were keeping the eggs warm until the baby chicks inside the eggs were ready to come out. I remember how much courage it took to speak…. to ask if I could please see them come out of the eggs. He promised he would come get me someday when the chicks were ready. Every day I wondered if he would remember. It seemed like so many days had passed and I was afraid he had forgotten. Then one day I heard him knock at the door of our house and ask if I could go with him to see the birds, explaining that he had promised to let me see hatchlings. I still remember how special it felt that an adult was treating me like I was so big. He led me to a work table where two eggs lay on a towel under a lamp, and turned over a tall plastic bucket for me to stand on near the tables edge. He placed a tiny warm egg in my hand. I could feel the chick moving around inside, slowly pushing away fragments of shell along the fracture that was growing down the center. I wanted so much to help it come out, but he said that the chick might not be healthy and strong if I did the work for him. Every second of that experience is still so vivid. I remember every thought and feeling. I remember feeling my heart beat in my fingers, I couldn’t imagine that there was anything more wonderful that could happen to me. When that baby chick emerged from its shell and slowly became fluffy, standing in my tiny hand .,., I was filled with indescribable awe. I remember thinking, “Thank you, God, You must love and trust me so much to let me see this miracle.” Because of this neighbor’s actions I have had a “go-to” moment that has given me strength and joy throughout my life. Because of him I will always keep my promises to children and speak to them in a way that lets them know they are an important person worthy of my time.

Mark R Frank · Answer

In 1963, my family—father, mother, older brother, younger sister and I—went to England to visit my grandparents. My father was in the Air Force and we went “space available.” Thing was , coming back, there was no “space available” for a while. We stayed at Mildenhall AFB and had to be close in case seats were available. It was an American outpost in England—PX, movie house, snack bar. The hamburgers were the best I ever had and the french fries were (still) cooked in fat. We used to play “Scarlet O’Hara” on the juke box. We saw “The Day of the Triffids” at the base theater (at night), which scared my brother and me (my sister was too young to go). We got the full-sized Reese cups, twice the size they are now, out of the candy machine for a nickel. Life was good. After about a month, space opened up and we came home. We’d missed about a month of school, but the principal said spending time abroad was an education in itself and forgave us the time. As I said, life was good.

Henrietta "Wendy" Cantrell · Answer

My father's funeral was pretty memorable it was a 21 gun salute with all the officers in their dress blues. All the women wearing black with those little pill box hats. You know the kind with the little nets that cover their faces. I remember sitting in the front pew, my little brother on my left and my hysterical mom on the right. They had my dad's coffin at the end of the aisle. His open casket showing him just lying there. Sweet, serene, almost like he was sleeping. There was a small procession of people walking in a line, taking pictures like they used to do, saying good bye one final time

My father's funeral was pretty memorable it was a 21 gun salute with all the officers in their dress blues. All the women wearing black with those little pill box hats. You know the kind with the little nets that cover their faces. I remember sitting in the front pew, my little brother on my left and my hysterical mom on the right. They had my dad's coffin at the end of the aisle. His open casket showing him just lying there. Sweet, serene, almost like he was sleeping. There was a small procession of people walking in a line, taking pictures like they used to do, saying good bye one final time. Everything was going pretty smooth , that is until my cousin Pearl gets up to the coffin, that when all hell broke loose. She gets next to him and looks down at him then suddenly a growl came from her lips. Then the growl turns into a howl. Like a banshee in the night. Then she starts screaming, “Oh my Uncle Bryan!!” I'm not gonna let anybody take you away from me!!” Then, to the horror of those around her, she reaches into the casket and grabs my father's body. She than starts to pull his body out of the coffin, which didn't work well because everything landed on the floor, in one ceremonious crash. I remember my brothers eyes were as wide as saucers, but the real treat was watching my mother turn into pure liquid. I mean she just literally poured out of the pew, landing in a human puddle at my feet. After that all I remember is brass buttons. Brass buttons flying every where , amidst a sea of blue. And me , I was drowning in that sea . I was gulping , trying not to suffucate . I was just nine years old and that day was the first time that I found life alittle hard to swallow.

Poornima Relekar · Answer

My Best childhood moment was at my Grandpa's house. Those Cherish me always when I remember and never forgettable.

There was a small ground like thing in front of my Grandpa's house. It was situated at corner of ‘L' shaped road and had no compound built, so road was easily visible.

Grandpa had one big tree at corner of that ground to which's branch he had tied swinging tyre to long iron chain. We had fixed time in evening to play swinging tyre. And at other times, chain was thrown up to branch & tyre was kept inside house. Those chains could be get down only by my mama(mom's brother).

I used to play with my younger sis & two younger cousins. I was the big monkey among all.

We were suppose to sleep in noon from 1 pm to 3 pm forceful with other family members. But we kids were not sleeping, as soon as we acknowledge that others have slept, we were coming out of house silently & our plans will always to get that iron chain down from tree branch & play swinging. But it was never that easy.

Tree was quite bent, and one bullock cart was always parked below that tree in noon time by my grandpa’s neighbour.

One day i was forced by my cousins to climb tree for that chain since I was tall & elder among my cousins.

I desperately wanted to climb one day and it was like Dream come true for me that day. I climbed on that bullock cart first with help of my cousins & later climbed on tree, sat on that branch and slowly moved towards iron chain & made it fall down with help of wooden stick.

It was the Proud feeling of achievement. Haha…

Later we tied that tyre to it & we started playing. After some time my mom came out to check & we caught. She started screaming, scolding, she even found that stick which we threw there & started running behind us with stick in hand. We scattered out of fear & later got worst scoldings to the death. Haha..

Childhood memories are priceless.

Thanks for reading Quorans.

Anonymous · Answer

Most memorable moment was being told that I was causing too much trouble for my foster parents with my ‘acting out’ and I would be moved to a new family until they could find me a permanent family.

My ‘acting out’ came emotional and mental trauma from sexual abuse under my birth mothers care, and recovery from extensive head and abdominal injuries from a car accident. I was unable to control my bladder but I was accused of wetting myself on purpose. My foster family’s bio son would break a LOT of stuff when his parents backs were turned then tell them I did it. I suffered from insomnia and wasnt sleeping properly and was told I was doing it deliberately to cause trouble. As a result of my head injuries I had trouble with maths, and was ‘acting up’ in class and being disruptive which I was told I was doing on purpose when the reality was I couldn't do the work and also couldn't see the blackboard because I actually needed glasses. No teacher ever took the trouble to figure any of this out. I would like to point out I was still healing from my injuries, as severe as they were.

Once i was at my new family’s home, it was still a year before anyone figured out i needed glasses and was struggling with maths. It was also figured out by the headmaster of my new primary school…not my foster parents (who eventually became my adopted parents). They took every bad thing social services told them about me, and took it on board and treated me accordingly. Which is likely why they felt justified in abusing me, even after the adoption.

I will say this. My 8th birthday (my first with the new family) was the first time anyone acknowledged my birthday or gave me a present, a giant orange stuffed dog which I still have to this day, almost 40 years later. It's the only thing I have left of my childhood. He’s a bit worn and his head keeps trying to separate from his body, but I sew it back on as best I can and keep him on my bed.

Anonymous · Answer

This was really awesome! I won a scholarship to a private school. My best friend in those days who I used to really admire did not make it but I did. So you can imagine - I was simply bursting with happiness.

The only thing was that this school demanded a nominal fee which in these days would be around Euro 20 per term, but my father decided that I was not worth the investment.

Sadly my father didn’t like me much, so I was not the least surprised. He had money for school fees for my brother, but not for me.

But I still smile when I think about this moment!

Anand Nyamdavaa · Answer

My uncle who is more than 80 years old, is legendary for his jokes. He is a naturally imposing man who, though not tall, looks taller than most men. He is also the oldest child in the family. Once he told me one story that I would like to share with you. He was around 7–8.

The story starts when his uncle came to visit them. Naturally everybody was very happy to see him. The uncle called my uncle over and gave him some cash: Go and buy some sugar cubes with this money. In the 1940s-50s children were happy to get sugar cubes, forget about candies. My uncle was very happy to receive this important mission.

He went to a nearby store and bought some sugar cubes. His immediate reaction was to eat a piece, but remembering that he was the older brother and had many responsibilities he didn’t. So without opening the wrapped paper he put them safely inside his pocket. When he arrived home, he proudly gave the the wrapped paper to his uncle. The uncle looked at him and smiled:

Knowing you, I am sure you had your share, so I will share all these cubes with your brothers and sisters…

My uncle didn’t get any. Even after 80 years, my uncle still remembers this story. What do you think is the moral of this story? lol

Xi Buttons-Matthew · Answer

I grew up in a children’s home run by the Catholic Church in the USA.

When I was around 7 or 8, all the orphaned kids began to learn the Bible (actually it was drummed into us like a repetitive chant). One day during a Bible recital class, I suddenly had blank, and forgot a line, and the nun dragged me out of the class, and beat me with this wooden rod that had a brass crucifix on the end. I had never felt so much pain in all my life.

I just lay there crying and feeling the great big bruises forming on my upper arms and on the back of my legs.

This was the first of many countless beating I copped from the sadistic nuns in that orphanage. And they were for forgetting Bible quotes, to giggling in church or failing to go to confession.

but the most memorable beating I received was when I was 10 and it was after a game of truth or dare. I dared another boy to go and grab the wooden rod used to beat us with and hide it.

when the nuns found it missing they were furious. They lined us up and all hut tortured us until it was found. The boy I dared was small and quite waify, where as I was chubby, and I knew he couldn’t cope with a punishment, so I got him to tell me where he hid it, and I took the blame.

Damn Christ in hell was I in for it. I was whipped with a cane, then beaten with the rod. This time, the brass crucifix clipped behind my knee and I fell down writhing in pain but the nun didn’t stop.

she kept saying I was a sinner, I was evil and I’d be going to hell. It was really scary stuff for a 10 year old. And I never forgot that day.

in Bible class we were told that god loves us. That like god and the rest of the rubbish was one massive lie. There was no love there at all.

Two years later, I was adopted out, and to this day I don’t believe in god, I hate the church and what it represents. And I don’t go for any of the lyes anymore.

I know there is no god, but if there is, the bastard owes me a happy childhood .

Barbara Russo Ryan · Answer

I was actually a little bit older but still a child. I have had TEDDY for as long as I can remember. He has always been there for me. By the time my memory if him was secure he was a one eyed bear, but he was my Teddy…so there…and he always had one eye. The story goes he accidently got sent to the laundry, hence one eye, but he was my bear. Years later his other eye came off so I went to sew his eye back on and figured a long as I was at it, I would sew both eyes on. NOT going to happen! I sewed them on but he was no longer Teddy. My bear only had one eye. I had to remove the other eye because that was not my Teddy! My bear had one eye. Till this day he sits in a place of honor, and I am a senoir citizen now. But he is my on eyed bear, My one eyed Teddy .

Daniel Morrissey · Answer

Catching a pop-warner touchdown pass competes with being kissed on the cheek for the first time during an innocent summer. This in turn competes with playing with my youngest cousins while they were babies, seeing my parents express affection, as well as helping make 100's of tamales with extended family at Grandma's house. All of these make the cut because they come from a time before I knew what sadness, anger, lust, and regret meant. Even if I was beginning to lose some of my innocence, it was mostly there up until the last of these memories.

Rachna Seth · Answer

I was in the third grade. Parents’ Day was due to be held in our school. A couple of days before the function, I was called to the Principal’s office. I was petrified! But turned out that I had secured 100% marks in a couple of subjects and so, was to be given a prize. I was over the moon!

The D day arrived. But dad had to go out of town for some meeting and there were unexpected guests at home. So even mum would not be able to make it for the function. I was devastated. But I understood my mum’s situation and did not throw a fuss. Instead went to school quietly.

The function was held in the evening and all the prize winners were kept in a room. When it was time for the prize distribution ceremony, we were brought down and herded towards the stage. As I was proceeding along with my fellow winners, I saw my mum standing near the stage!! She had come! I couldn't believe my eyes. That moment was bigger than the entire winning experience.

I proudly went on stage, collected my prize and then ran towards my Ma. She quickly kissed me and we left school hurrying homewards. Turns out that there were more unforeseen issues at home. The gas cylinder had gotten over and mum had to cook over the kerosene stove. She finished her chores, served the guests and hurried to school just to be there for me. She was so harried, yet she came to school for her little one.

I can never forget this episode. It was an experience replete with love that is indescribable. This is a cherished memory from childhood:)

SufferWell · Answer

Probably my single earliest and greatest childhood memory is of watching the Mainstreet Electrical Parade at Disneyland from atop the shoulders of my Uncle Ron when I was 2 1/2 years old. The music gripped me, and Puff the Magic Dragon snorted right into my face! I can still see the gigantic animatronic twinkle-lit lady bugs bumbling around.…

I have an mp3 of the entire original song in my car's music bank, and it lights me up everytime it shuffles on during my long commute!!

Magic is real when you're that little…. I'm grateful I still remember that feeling.

Sachin Faujdar · Answer

I still remember it was october of 17 , i think 2001. When i was just 4 years old, my little brother born on that day . I came from outside (i don’t remember why i was there) 2 3 ladies were with my mummy and one little baby was sleeping with her . I asked my grandmother who is he. She told me he is my little brother .

I became too happy and in that i slipped , glass full of water ,off my hand. I wanted to hug him ,kiss him. They refused in doing so . I became so angry that i ran out of my home. My mom called me and slept me with him . I cuddled him and slept with him for whole day .

Susan O'Dell · Answer

We grew up in a frightful neighborhood (Highland Park, MI). Learned the law of the jungle there: 67 riots, MLK assassination, more chaos. I had a good friend named Janice Smith. In my racist household, and me, being only ten to 11 years old, did not buy in to what they said about anything anymore.. The reason I remember Janice Smith, is b/c I liked her…we could talk. But when worthless white teacher with bad teeth, announced a white man killed MLK, during school, I had to run for my life. Janice was crying….I didn’t understand why. She and I used to run relay races…..ha! short white girl…she always won and I was always happy about it because she deserved it. Her house was poverty. They offered me refuge there……riots going on, I’m white, and target practice. She lived about 2 blocks from the school. She said, “after school, grab my hand b/c we have to RUN! “ During those 2 blocks, to the safety of her home, I barely felt my feet on the concrete; Janice’s father came home, very weary….and lo and behold! There is a white girl here?! I asked what is going on and we all sat at the dinner table or such; I asked who is MLK? I hear he was killed. Why am I in danger for my life?

He explained about MLK, the principals of peace, and what he truly stood for, and how people are behaving opposite to his principals; not what MLK was trying to sound the trumpet for; everyone needs to change. and I knew at that moment I had been blessed…..I will never forget the kindness and education that family showed me. They were the personification of Love. I haven’t been able to trace back to Janice but I hope she knows what a courageous, spiritual, kind thing she and her family did for me that day.

Simmy Davis · Answer

Two moments both bad

Mother couldn't find a plastic container and I must of taken it she kept telling me just admit I had it. I told my mother I didn't have it or know anything about it. Mother didn't believe me so she took my fish tank and held it over the veranda telling me to admit I took it when I refused she threw it over and it smashed on the ground she told me that's what you get for being a lying thief. I didn't have that container She had put my father's lunch in it that morning.

Mother would force me to wear a dress to go school clothes shopping and rather than take me into the changing room she would pull off my dress in the middle of the store and if I wiggled or complained she would pull down my underpants. Mother would draw attention to me when she did this as it was a school store many kids I went to school with both boys and girls would see me naked

Marlon Izzo · Answer

It had to be the first time that my father took me to a major league baseball game in Los Angeles…

That night in particular was a night where you could go onto to the field and meet the ballplayers plus have pictures taken with them as well…

It was awesome…I met several of the ballplayers…Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were among the ones I met…

Anonymous · Answer

I was training in classical ballet at the Washington School of Ballet and, when I was about 13 years old, I was one of the few who auditioned to be selected to dance with the Metropolitan Opera when they came to Washington, DC to mount Don Giovanni. A stunningly amazing experience for me on so many levels.

Swati Sarangi (स्वाति षड़ंगी) · Answer

Allow me to go down my memory lane!

This tale is about my first competition at school. I was in nursery and it was my first year at school. There was a competition of arranging beads over a given pattern. I and my twin sister both participated in that competition. I sat next to my twin sister and we started arranging beads as soon as the signal for the commencement of the competition was given. During the process, my hands accidentally hit the bowl containing beads and a sea of beads flooded my progress. By then, two students had already completed the task. So, first and second prize winners had already secured their places. Luckily my sister had secured a second place. Now, the competition for third prize was on its way. My sister encouraged me to stay on the race but my level of impatience dominated over my spirit to win. So, I gave up.

It was on Independence day, the prize distribution ceremony was conducted. My sister’s name was announced and we felt so proud of her achievement. She ran to the stage to receive the prize from the chief guest. We clapped with pride. She unwrapped the prize and found a beautiful pencil box. Later on, my father took a lot of pain in searching for similar pencil box that my sister received as prize and he was lucky to find the one he was searching for. In the evening, at my home a similar function was organized. My grandfather became the chief guest and my uncle the commentator. My name was announced and I headed towards my grandfather to receive the prize. The sound of applause made me feel as if it was the same stage of my school.

The intention behind all this was simply to develop the concept of equality. The speciality of our upbringing is that my parents have always treated both of us equally. There has never been any incidence of discrimination in treating us. They never supported the concept of favouritism. Children are the most innocent soul and they learn most of the things from the surrounding they live in. The stage of a child can be compared to the moulding stage of a clay pot whose initial shape is decided by craftsman himself. As a result of very careful and wise parenting of my parents, we never suffered from ‘sibling jealousy’. I always feel so blessed for that. I always pray for my sister’s happiness and feel very proud of her achievements. This holds true in case of my sister also. The material connectivity of marks, position etc are not that strong enough to weaken the eternal bond existing between us. ‘Touch wood!’

Caitlin Sullivan · Answer

People tell me I couldn’t possibly remember this, as I was too young. But I have a memory of my mom laying this green winnie the pooh blanket that my brothers and I all shared over me as I lay in a crib. She was smiling at me, and just speaking kind words as she put me to sleep.

Mom and I have had a tumultuous relationship at times, but just that little snippet makes me feel so loved.