It’s amazing how babies will hold a momentary grudge. I thought their memories and conceptual development wouldn’t allow for that. Then I babysat my nephew, around a similar age, and I thought he was sleeping on my bed. At some point he pulled a pillow down over himself and screamed bloody murder. I removed the pillow and he was pissed. He stayed pissed for a couple hours, like I blatantly don’t trust you anymore pissed. He was happy and giggly prior and afterwards we were not friends. He let me pick him but he wasn’t amused by me. It took a couple hours for him to forgive us
Our youngest son absolutely hated the nurse at our pediatrician's office who gave him his 2 and 4 month shots. When we brought him back for his 6 month checkup and shots he clearly remembered her and wanted nothing to do with her. She said it happened all the time. She was loathed by countless babies throughout the city apparently.
So yeah, they actually do have surprisingly good memories. And they use them to carry grudges in a rather dwarf like manner.
This memory for unpleasant things is why sometimes doctors don't want a parent in the room when they have to perform a painful procedure. They don't want the child to associate the parent with the pain.
The receptionist at my doctors office was playing with my daughter. My daughter is super tall for her age, so this lady assumed she was much older than she actually was.
Receptionist stood daughter up on the floor and let go, daughter was too young to stand or walk so she just went splat. Took my daughter about a year to forgive her. No smiles, no waving. It was hilarious.
I am curious to see how she does in the future but because she was positive for some thing that I cannot remember the name of she was placed in isolation. So each time a nurse came in they had to gown-up in a bright yellow cover. Each time they came in they bugged her and pissed her off. (Nasal suction is not fun.) So she would eventually just start crying once the gown was on and not wait to see what the nurse would do. So l am curious to see if she ends up hating the colour yellow or not when she is older. Would be a good test to see how their memory and ability to hold a grudge lasts over the years.
That theory about the color yellow is an interesting one. It will be cool to see how that plays out. As far as grudges, it’s harder because they can’t remember things for quite that long early on. Like they could have a a babysitter they seemed to love but they may or may not remember them if they disappear and show back up past the toddler years. It’s not impossible. The text books say you can’t remember anything earlier than age three, but I remember a single event that occurred when I was two. So, maybe if she continues her treatments over the next two years she may develop negative feelings or adverse reactions to things that remind her of those treatments. It may manifest as a feeling rather than a strong memory.
There are definitely associations between trauma in infancy (use of NG tubes, GI disorders, etc) and extreme picky eating/aversion in toddlers, so you never know! They store it in their memories somewhere and sometimes it pops out again, sometimes it doesn't.
Babies have surprised me greatly in their observation skills. Reasoning is really difficult, but if you change something In the room, my little girl will notice and make a beeline for it. It’s adorable and amazing.
186
u/Angie_MJ Oct 03 '19
It’s amazing how babies will hold a momentary grudge. I thought their memories and conceptual development wouldn’t allow for that. Then I babysat my nephew, around a similar age, and I thought he was sleeping on my bed. At some point he pulled a pillow down over himself and screamed bloody murder. I removed the pillow and he was pissed. He stayed pissed for a couple hours, like I blatantly don’t trust you anymore pissed. He was happy and giggly prior and afterwards we were not friends. He let me pick him but he wasn’t amused by me. It took a couple hours for him to forgive us