25+ Nostalgic Women Discuss What They Miss the Most About Childhood

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Sep 25, 2024 5:00 PM EDT

Welcome, nostalgic girlies. It's a shame that no one ever told us when would be the last time we'd play mermaids at the public pool, eat a massive bowl of fruity Trix in front of the TV while watching Saturday morning cartoons, or host an elegant tea party with all of tour favorite stuffed animals. All of these things came and went without us noticing until they were gone, existing only in our memories.

Most childhood memories, no matter how formative, do not actively occupy forefront of our minds. We recall them when we hear a particular melody, catch a whiff of something in the air, or see a very specific color combination that triggers a sudden and vivid childhood memory. Suddenly realizing that our childhoods are out of reach can make us feel melancholy and nostalgic, and we may find ourselves yearning for that freedom and innocence. In the fascinating thread below, women of the web discuss what they miss the most about girlhood - join the convo! Did they miss anything?

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  • 01
    r/AskWomen u/Puitzza • 11h What do you miss the most about your childhood/teenage? 117 ☐ 265 62
    via u/Puitzza
  • 02
    eraseme11 • 10h . I miss how time felt soooo slow. School years felt way too long and even Christmas breaks would feel like a long time. Now everything is going way too fast Reply Vote
    via u/eraseme11
  • 03
    Puitzza OP. 9h I read somewhere that as we age, days get longer but years get shorter. ↑ Vote
    via u/Puitzza
  • 04
    YungSwan666 · 9h So true. The Summer rushed by this year. Literally a few days I was thinking how long it felt when I was a kid. Vote
    via u/YungSwan666
  • 05
    ask4abs 8h I heard that new experiences... Newness... Can give the impression of time passing more slowly. Some neuroscientific thing... Maybe as we age, embracing new, learning etc, can help with the sense of time flying? ... Vote
    via u/ask4abs
  • 06
    smooth_relation_744 • 10h The lack of responsibilities. Reply Vote
    via u/smooth_relation_744
  • 07
    runawaybones • 10h Thinking I could be anything I wanted when I grew up. Reply Vote
    via u/runawaybones
  • 08
    dragonfly-1001 .7h And that I had plenty of time ahead to make it happen. Vote
    via u/dragonfly-1001
  • 09
    Anilxe • 10h Absolutely nothing. I was unloved in my household with my dad and step mom and struggled to make friends at school. I got poor grades and mostly kept to myself playing video games. We struggled to eat well due to money issues. I had a handful of sexual trauma by the time I was 15 that I was struggling to process.
    via u/Anilxe
  • 10
    Now I'm 33 and have an incredible circle of friends and a chosen family that loves me and make decent money to buy whatever I want. I don't really feel nostalgic for the most stressful times in my life. I feel secure now, not then. I just got back from an amazing 3 day EDM festival that I went to with 10 of my friends and we all camped together and had a blast. I never did anything like that as a teenager. Reply Vote
    via u/Anilxe
  • 11
    starskyandbutch • 10h Not having to use Excel every day Reply Vote
    via u/starskyandbutch
  • 12
    MellifluousSussura • 5h I still don't know how to use excel. It looks very intimidating ... ← Vote
    via u/MellifluousSussura
  • 13
    Niky_Nikole691 · 10h I miss having no expectations, being content and keeping myself busy. No outgoings, no responsibilities. for anyone who is still young, make the most of it whilst you can. ... Reply Vote
    via u/Niky_Nikole691
  • 14
    Abranurni 10h My grandma. Reply Vote
    via u/Abranurni
  • 15
    sorryineedspace • 9h 오 Same here. I wish I realized how precious my time with her was. She was really cool Vote
    via u/sorryineedspace
  • 16
    No-Sir3639 • 10h I miss summer vacations and Christmas when most of my family was still alive. The best was Christmas Eve before my grandma passed and her house was full of people. Reply Vote
    via u/No-Sir3639
  • 17
    GypsySoulTN 10h My knees. My metabolism. Reply Vote
    via u/GypsySoulTN
  • 18
    way 6.9h On YouTube there is a channel called squat university, I've followed their exercises and now my knees are bulletproof. Vote
    via u/way6
  • 19
    jells_daifairyy • 10h I miss the carefree days and simple fun, like hanging. out with friends without a worry in the world. ... Reply Vote
    via u/jells_daifairyy
  • 20
    tealmarw 10h My mom cutting up fruit for me, it was always such a sweet act of love that's stuck with me. Reply Vote
    via u/tealmarw
  • 21
    Puitzza OP. 9h My mom still does that. On the iPad. She loves playing Fruit Ninja. Vote
    via u/Puitzza
  • 22
    AmbassadorFart • 10h I miss enjoying being around my parents and thinking that they were flawless. As an adult in my early 30s it is getting increasingly difficult to see how our values are so drastically different. I don't really want to be around them anymore and that has been heartbreaking to try to come to terms with. Reply Vote
    via u/AmbassadorFart
  • 23
    PancakeQueen13 • 10h Having an entire summer off every year. I wish someone could just tell me "you're getting the next two months off work" nowadays without me having to figure out a plan for making sure work is still getting done while I'm away, or having to coordinate with other people's time off. An overall concept of having tasks complete and on total pause for two months for everyone in the "classroom" until you come back would be amazing. Reply Vote
    via u/PancakeQueen13
  • 24
    playnmt • 10h I miss when it was normal to just drop by a friend's house or have them drop by yours just to hang out. We had some crazy spur of the moment adventures. Reply Vote
    via u/playnmt
  • 25
    searedscallops ⚫ 10h 오 I was a wound-up anxious mess as a child. Teenage years were better but I had lots of responsibility and little freedom. Adulthood is so much better than both. Reply Vote
    via u/searedscallops
  • 26
    Ok-Jelly8541 • 9h A lot less social media, people being more with each other if that makes sense Reply Vote
    via u/Ok-Jelly8541
  • 27
    astral_fae 10h . Not hating my body/ not being hated by my body ... Reply Vote
    via u/astral_fae
  • 28
    sixfootredheadgemini · 10h My mother's cooking Reply Vote
    via u/sixfootredheadgemini
  • 29
    BoysenberryOk4496 • 10h sleeping in without consequences Reply Vote
    via u/BoysenberryOk4496
  • 30
    Look_over_that_way • 10h I didn't know how good I had it with my parents. They were supportive and loved me and my sibling. Now all I hear is about horrendous childhoods and I wish I could have enjoyed them more and been less anxious Reply Vote
    via u/Look_over_that_way
  • 31
    scarveinn 10h · Life before getting my period Reply Vote
    via u/scarveinn

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period relatable memes childhood Female Empowerment adulting millennials nostalgia discussion nostalgic gen x aging health self care adulthood reddit thread Reddit menstruation
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