I asked that question once. Surprisingly my question brought lots of laughter and nostalgia for people who began to reminiscence their childhood.
That simple question brought smiles to many who willingly shared their happy stories. Some stories were hilarious because we were once young, innocent, and silly. For some, there were so many favourite memories and it was hard to choose. I remember my childhood well and I tell my stories to my kids who enjoy listening to them. They always ask for more although my stories are simple.
There was no luxurious holiday or expensive toys in my stories. My stories are about people and of course the fish in the drain and trees that I climbed with my friends. And I can never forget the rambutan seed that I had accidentally swallowed and then waited years for it to grow in my belly. People laughed when hearing my stories and I laughed listening to theirs, but there was one thing in common in our stories.
Our stories were about experiences with people and the things we did with friends and the time we spent with family. Yes, there were trips and toys but we all barely remembered them unless people in the story made it memorable for us. When we reflect on our past, the sweet or bitter memories made us who we are today.
I remember being excited when my mother came home from work. I remember doing gardening with my grandmother and how I loved the smell of dried leaves being burned alongside a heap of rubbish. I also remember my grandfather who brought me to my first circus show although the only thing I remember was the trapeze performance but nothing else, not even the clown.
What made that as one of my favourite memories is the time he had spent with me. I remember other people but I do not have memories with them because they never or seldom spent time with me. Most importantly, because they were there for me. I do not want to be someone that my children reminisce in the future as someone who is seldom there or someone who is always busy.
No matter how busy we are with work, parents who work from nine to five must maximise the time spent during dinner and after dinner with their children. For just a mere two to three hours each night are crucial for the family.
Instead of burying ourselves with television, the Internet, and smartphones, why not spend it with family members? Parents and children alike are always on their phones. Sitting down at a restaurant for dinner, this scenario is very common.
What will be the kids’ childhood-memory like? ‘Oh, I remember we were always on the phone during dinner’ or worse, ‘my dad was always on the phone playing games.’ That is a possible future scenario for GenZ. How would you like to be remembered? Do you want to be in someone’s sweet memory or a bad one? Give memories to those around you with what you want them to remember you. Spending a lot of money on gifts for your children is not a memory.
Memory has no price tag. Materialistic things do not have a lasting memory. I do not remember the brand of my toys or the time when my picture was taken on my first bike but I remember getting a whack on the head as one of my fond memories. Not the pain of course but the funny actions and the words were spoken made it memorable.
It was never the expensive gifts. It only matters when you are no longer a child where social influence and peer pressure set in. Do not rob children of their childhood. Give them memories that they can remember fondly.
There are many ways to create it without having to spend so much. Try sliding down a hill on a nipah leaf or play a simple board game. The new generations might not understand the games that we had before so adapt to newer games to suit them. Cheap games can give so much more happiness than expensive ones when shared and played together.
Even a walk in a park costs nothing and mud is always free. Whatever you do, it must come from the heart because children are innocent, they can feel inauthenticity and insincerity. What comes with dishonesty is only frustration. So, what’s your favourite childhood memory?
