Whether you have sharp memories from your childhood or only remember random times, you never truly forget what it’s like to be a kid. Even though you’re an adult now and those simple, innocent days are long behind you, you likely had some unique and compelling childhood experiences that still matter today. If these 15 things happened to you, you might have certain personality traits as a result.
1. Moving to a new city/town/country.
If you moved even once during your childhood, you know that there’s a lot that goes into it. You had to be the new kid at school, make new friends, and get used to a new house or apartment. Whether you still live in the same place or have moved away, you might not realize that this taught you a lot. As an adult, you might be confident or shy and quiet, depending on how the move went.
2. When your parents had people over.
It’s fascinating to be a kid whose parents are throwing a dinner party, whether you’re just the greeter who puts everyone’s coats in a bedroom or you get to enjoy the gathering. You might have picked up on some necessary social niceties or learned about manners if your parents entertained often. You’re also likely gregarious and love to entertain now—you’re always inviting friends over for Sunday evening dinners or Thursday game nights.
3. Family holiday traditions.
While sometimes people feel down at holidays, like Christmas, it’s still nice to look forward to spending the holidays with your family. It’s easy to take these traditions for granted. However, if you’re used to making the same sweet potato dish with your mom at Thanksgiving or you travel to your aunt’s at Easter, that could affect your personality now that you’re older. You could be someone who loves routines and making social plans because that’s what you’re used to.
4. How you spent summers.
For many people, nothing was better than going to the same overnight camp every year and roasting marshmallows, sleeping in bunk beds, and seeing summer friends. Others hung out at home and had to find their own fun. No matter which describes your childhood summers, you might be extroverted or introverted because of these formative experiences.
5. Traveling with your family.
As The Washington Post reported, when children go on trips with their families, they learn “empathy.” You know that you smile when you think about your spring break family vacation to Florida or those summer trips to fun cities like NYC. But you might not realize that these trips impact you even today. If your parents encouraged you to love seeing new places, you might have a bold and fun-loving personality now. On the other hand, if you were always visiting the same places, you could be an introvert who is comforted by the familiar.
6. After-school activities and weekend hobbies.
Did you play soccer every Tuesday night when you were a kid? Were you a gymnast, or a dancer, or did you love karate? If you had scheduled activities after school and on the weekends, you’re an organized and reliable person today. You learned crucial skills about committing to something and following through, which definitely helps you at work and in your social life.
7. Having a large or small family.
While you might not think that the size of your family can affect your personality when you’re an adult, it can teach you a lot. Maybe you’re an only child who didn’t have any family nearby besides your parents. This means that you’re a resilient introvert who enjoys spending time alone, which is helpful if your partner is out of town or you’re single. If you have several siblings and cousins, you’re likely confident, assertive, and go after what you want because you’re used to being one of many.
8. Spending time with people of different ages.
Whether you played with older neighborhood kids regularly or hung out with family friends often, being exposed to people of different ages can have a huge impact on you. If you were around older people a lot, you were likely more mature than your peers and might have grown up a bit faster than others. These days, you make it a point to spend time with people who are older and younger than you. You’re open-minded and know that you can learn from anyone’s life experience, from babysitting a friend’s nine-year-old to your great-aunt.
9. Embarrassing moments.
Did you trip walking up the stairs on the first day of sixth grade? What about messing up during a presentation? While you might get embarrassed today, there’s nothing like the humiliation you feel as a child. You try not to think about these cringeworthy moments, but they still haunt you. They also made you a more caring person since you learned everyone makes mistakes.
10. Group work at school.
Whether you cringe remembering group projects in History class or you loved teaming up with others, this was definitely a formative time that you probably don’t think about much. These specific school experiences either made you a natural, confident leader…or someone who likes to hang out in the background and observe.
11. Fighting with siblings.
Although your parents wished that you and your siblings would get along, that isn’t always the case. If you used to argue with your older sister or younger brother all the time, it has an effect on your adult personality in some compelling ways. Perhaps you’re more sensitive than people say you should be, or you can’t help but start random arguments (and that’s something you’re working on).
12. Going to the movies.
When you’re a kid, heading to the local movie theater to see a new release is a huge event. You hopefully get popcorn, candy, and soda and have a great time. However, this experience can also influence you in ways you might not think about. Maybe you discovered a love of film and now you work in the industry or incorporate regular movie nights into your own family. You might also feel nostalgic for “the good old days” and prefer going to the movies to sitting at home and checking out what’s streaming.
13. Quirky habits/inside jokes.
Maybe your family had a unique word for the TV remote or a strange inside joke that only you all found funny. These experiences make you a more interesting, quirky person who others are drawn to. You can also thank your parents and other relatives for all the odd memories that make for a great first date or party story.
14. Getting in trouble at school/having a harsh, unfair teacher.
Even if you never got in trouble as a kid, you likely had at least one teacher who you didn’t like. Maybe they criticized your homework for no reason and didn’t treat you fairly. All these experiences affected you—they helped you learn to deal with authority and likely gave you a strong sense of right and wrong. Since you might have at least one frustrating manager or co-worker in your professional life, those lessons are definitely helpful.
15. Childhood illness/injury.
That spring you broke your arm or that one horrible cold you had when you were ten years old might have formed your adult personality more than you think. Even though you likely don’t think about these moments very often, you know that your parents took care of you and made you feel better. They probably tried to cheer you up with your favorite ice cream flavor and let you go wild at the local video store. While life isn’t as simple as it was back then, these experiences showed you that it’s important to take care of loved ones, and you might bring that compassion to your current relationships.
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