Elena L

Screaming and yelling when my grandparents took me to the hospital to visit my mother and newly born sister. I had to be escorted out by a security guard as I punched and scratched and kicked everything I could. I was 3.

Vojta D

I must have been less than four years old as there existed a law in the czechoslovak republic at that time that prevented children of such age to fly abroad. As it was common at that time, my young family - my father, my mother and my brother who was and - however much I try - still is four years older than me, headed down south to the Bulgarian coast for the summer holidays. i remember myself standing on a car park surrounded by large anonymous buildings of prefabricated concrete - holding my grandparents hands with the two small hands of mine.

naturally, due to the small size of my brain and the greatness of stupid laws, I did not understand a thing. thus, i simply starred at this young familiy that was leaving to godknowswhere. i cant remember whether i was crying or not. and i suppose that does not even matter.

one year later we left the czech republic to start a new life in germany. i remember myself clinging my hands (by then a little stronger) to the wooden doorframe of our house, not wanting to go to the Kindergarten. I cried - in czech, mind you: "A NEBUDU mluvit nemecki. Ja chci za babičkou a za dědou" ("And I will NOT speak German. I want to go to my granny and granpa"). However, I went to the Kindergarten and I do speak German by now.

tENT

I really have multiple memories vying for the position of "earliest memory"
wch include a memory of making a secret compartment out of large
cardboard boxes on the concrete patio behind the house I spent
ages 2 to 22 in & separation anxiety dreams about being separated from
my mom & sister (long since not a problem in my psychology!) but the
one I seem to've settled on is this dream:

I was probably around 2 or 3 (we're talkin' 1956ish here).

I was in the penthouse of a very tall skyscraper. The space between the
wall & the floor started opening up & Mr. Tooth Decay started coming out.
(Mr. Tooth Decay was, of course, a cartoon figure used in commercials
to scare kids into taking good care of our teeth) MTD was coming
threateningly toward me to pull me into his netherworld. Mighty Mouse
(a cartoon superhero) flew in thru the window to rescue me. MM grabbed
me & we flew out the window. I was holding my security blanket but I dropped
it. We were flying very high off the ground but when I dropped my SB I pushed
away from Mighty Mouse to try to follow & rescue my blanket.

I reckon I awoke w/ a start there. Now, as I recall, one of the reasons
why I had falling dreams is b/c my sheet & blanket(s) were tucked between
my mattress & my boxspring &, b/c of this, I wd sleep cocooned off the
side of the bed. The weight of my body wd gradually push my 'cocoon'
down to the floor - hence the falling.

- tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - recalled July 4, 2011E.V.

Bree C

My 4th birthday "party." We had zero money because my birthday, my brothers birthdays and Christmas are in the same month. I was allowed to pick my favorite food and my favorite activity and I could do it all day long at home. I picked macaroni and cheese and ate it in the bath tub for 5 hours. Best birthday to date.

Nate M

Looking at the sky through the branches of a baby peach tree and discovering science

Ashling L

My grandma is walking me to school. Her hands are soft, the skin is loose and feels cold. She's wearing her blue and red blouse and her pearls. The trees lining the school grounds are turning fire colours. Dry leaves crunch under my feet. I'm wearing my Babar raincoat, the one with the fuzzy lining, and carrying my Babar backpack. I can smell my grandma's talcum powder and perfume. When I look up at her, the sunshine makes her perm look like it's glowing. Once we're at the school gates she tells me to "Work hard, be good, and remeber that you're a Ligate!" Grandma doesn't give kisses but instead gives me a little hug. She's so bony and small. I know she loves me.

Meg Q

My cousin’s sitting in my chair. It’s a little red rocking chair with my name on it and it’s mine and she’s sitting in it. But I’m too small to stand up and pull her out, or use words. I just remember being SO MAD.

Also, playing puppies with my dad on the living room floor, with sloppy kisses. I think I kept trying to lick him.