Every parent wants their child to have happy memories of their childhood, things they can think back to and smile. This is why a lot of work is put into taking great vacations, going on adventures, and making sure holidays are magical. They believe that these events will build ‘happy’ children, and it can shape the rest of their lives.
This also means that parents believe that bad moments in life can have a negative impact on children. This can put a lot of pressure on them. They may be fearful that if their child has to live through a traumatic experience, or if they are not able to do all the adventures, then their children will somehow be marked with bad thoughts of their childhood.
These can all be defined as “core” memories, and this theme came into popularity with Disney’s hit, Inside Out. These are defining moments in a person’s life, and they can think back to them and realize how it helped to shape who they are.
We are going to take a deeper look at core memories, and if they really are as influential as we believe.
The Disney Theory
As stated, the idea of core memories first gained popularity after the movie Inside Out came out, and it showed what goes on in the mind of a little girl.
According to Pixar, all of her emotions are battling to protect her memories and feelings, especially her core memories which seem to make up the five main aspects of her personality. These core memories all represent “key moments” in her life that have helped to shape her personality.
Are They Real?
This can lead some to believe that these are not real, and they were just created by Disney for their hit movie; however, science has an answer.
According to Medical Xpress, one of the biggest myths about core memories is that we only have a handful of them; this is not true.
Memory, even in children, has no capacity limit, and it can hold many important memories. Most importantly, these memories do not necessarily drive our personality, so this may bring some relief to parents who are concerned about their child’s core memories.
Researchers stated that memories can have an impact on who we are and our personalities, but they are not defined so strictly. There is give and take, and childhood memories are typically our “poorest memories.”
Early adulthood contains the strongest memories, and part of that is because memories from childhood do not really entertain us as adults, so we tend to not really give them a second thought.
Out Of Their Control
According to The Conversation, it is also important to remember that we don’t get to pick what we remember. We do not control it, and this means that the mom who is trying so hard to create these core memories may be able to take a bit of a break. There is little that she can do to make sure that what she plans actually becomes a strong memory for her child. It is much better to just relax, have fun with your family, and hope that the memories will stick.
Sources: Pixar, Medical Xpress, The Conversation