You Were Truly Loved As A Kid If These 11 Things Still Feel Safe To You
The things that brought you comfort as a child are still very much part of your life.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock There are certain kinds of comforts that linger long after childhood, like memories of watching cartoons on a Saturday morning or being read to before bed. If these things still feel safe to you, you were truly loved as a kid, and you likely continue to keep these habits present in your life, especially when you're seeking comfort. It brings you back to a time when there were no stressors or responsibilities to worry about.
As a child, you felt a sense of safety running to grab your security blanket or seeing your nightlight glow to protect you from monsters. Now that you're all grown up, these things bring you comfort and a sense of safety, even if you feel like you've outgrown them. If these moments still bring you peace today, you were deeply and genuinely loved when it mattered the most.
If these 11 things still feel safe to you, you were truly loved as a kid
1. The smell of a home cooked meal
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In our youth, there was something calming about the smell of a home cooked meal. The warmth and aromas brought comfort, which can linger into adulthood. Food is a type of love language that can show someone you care about them, regardless of the type of relationship you have.
Our parents cooked homemade meals for us — not just because we were hungry, but because they put their heart and soul into the dishes they made. As adults, we still remember the things our parents cooked for us and continue to make that a dish in our own kitchens.
Cooking something from your childhood and sensing that same smell can make you feel safe again. It transports you back to a time when you were with your parents, enjoying a meal together.
2. Being read to before bed
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If being read to before bed still feels safe to you, you were truly loved as a kid. It's a universal memory that many children who grew up in loving homes had. It was a unique bonding experience with your parents where you saw a more lighthearted side to them. It was also a time for inquisitive thought, as you asked them questions about what you were reading or life in general.
Reading everyday actually helps you to improve your vocabulary and language skills. It also helps you to fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake up less frequently during the night. Even in adulthood, the idea of sitting next to your partner and reading a novel before bed sounds relaxing. It's a love that not only makes you feel safe, but educates you at the same time.
3. The sound of rain on the roof
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We all remember sitting in a car or staying inside, watching the water slide down the windowsill. Despite the gloominess, for many it was a comfort because it meant full safety indoors. It was also helpful for us to experience rain in this way, as children who are exposed to water-based soundscapes like rain or fountains are able to restore attention and improve memory span after cognitive failures.
Taking children outside to play in the rain is beneficial as long as they have the proper clothing and equipment to protect themselves. As adults, rain lovers aren't afraid of getting wet when they see a few gray clouds, but instead embrace the fun. It feels safe to them because it brings them back to those silent moments by the window.
4. Watching cartoons
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Watching morning cartoons, whether with siblings or with a friend after a sleepover, was a safe outlet we all needed as kids. It allowed us to relax and enjoy mindless entertainment with some of our favorite characters, or feel inspired to do the impossible by becoming the heroes we wanted to be.
As children, we didn't think much of the humor as it flew over our heads, but as adults things began to become clearer to us. We now look back at the cartoons with an adult mindset and understand some of the context better. Cartoons often serve as an outlet for social commentaries on life, too.
As adults, we understand the perspective because we have lived through those same exact situations. It took a lot for our parents to trust that the adults creating the shows were steering us in the right direction. Many show runners did live up to our morals and principles in the end.
5. Having a special blanket
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Growing up with a security blanket is an extremely common thing for those who need safety and comfort in their homes. According to research published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, security blankets relieve distress in toddlers during certain situations, and the relief is equivalent to having a parent present.
Even years later, many people still have this blanket laying around their homes or have fond memories of it. For some, disposing of these safety blankets is the equivalent of getting rid of a family member. But to feel safe enough to attach comfort to something so simple means there were people in their lives who showed up for them and tried to soothe their worries.
6. Eating cookies and milk before bed
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Eating cookies and drinking a glass of milk before bedtime isn't just reserved for the holidays. If you were truly loved as a kid, this was something that feels safe to you as an adult. You grew up in a loving home where your parents gave you a special treat to get you to go to sleep.
Children should have a regular bedtime and go to bed early to get an adequate amount of sleep to function properly throughout the day. So, giving them a snack before bed can aid in this. While adults can eat whatever they want, as kids, we found it special when our parents would allow us a little snack.
A bedtime snack brings us back to our youth in a way that makes us feel happy and safe. These little comforts become emotional anchors that we latch onto when we're feeling a bit stressed out by life.
7. Nightlights
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If using a nightlight still feels safe to you, you were truly loved as a kid. Because it's not just adults who are afraid of the dark, it's kids, too. Many adults believe they'll grow out of it, but may find themselves having some sort of artificial light in their dark room. It's a type of comfort for them that brings peace and lets them sleep well. If they don't have one, maybe it's a television show as background noise.
Nightlights are a staple item for children of all ages, and is something parents should have on their checklist. For children, their fear is that monsters in the shape of furniture will come to get them, and a nightlight keeps those monsters at bay. Their parents oblige them every time because no monster is as dangerous as a child who refuses to go to sleep.
8. Playing on a playground swing
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Growing up, kids found some type of comfort on the playground. Whether it was hanging on the monkey bars, running around the woodchips, or swinging on the swings. As adults, we rarely get to visit parks, but when we do, we never leave without sitting on a swing set for a little while to clear our minds.
Not only can we contemplate life while on a swing, but we can exercise on it too. Swinging on a swing can improve blood circulation and reduce stress. The rhythm, the back and forth, made it feel as if you were moving with the wind. It's a childhood safe space that, even as adults, we find comforting.
9. A loved one's voice calling you for dinner
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If a loved one's voice calling you for dinner still feels safe to you, you were truly loved as a kid. As a child, you were too busy playing with your toys or friends to notice when it was time to eat dinner. It was the voice of a parent that snapped you out of the fun and had you running to the dining room.
Those memories, while annoying at the time, are remembered fondly now that you're an adult, especially now that you no longer have anyone cooking meals for you. There are some children who refuse to eat when their parents tell them to. Parents even go so far as to set their children's dinner times earlier to get them to eat during snack time instead.
Either way, a familiar tone around someone's voice can bring back a flood of comfort, as you remember them and the food they used to prepare for you.
10. Falling asleep in the car and waking up in bed
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Car rides were a fun time for kids, particularly when we would fall asleep during a smooth ride home. Most of us remember even faking that we were asleep to get one of our parents to carry us inside because we didn't feel like walking.
These car ride naps would lead to us waking up earlier than our parents and messing up their routines, as consistent bedtime routines can shape the sleeping patterns of children. As adults, we rarely get to sleep in the car anymore, but we do still take naps during the day only to regret it later when we can't get back to sleep.
It's a core memory that stays with us into adulthood, and something that you do with your own children later on. And that brings the memories flooding back to simpler times.
11. Being called by a childhood nickname
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Even as an adult, you can never outgrow your nickname. These nicknames stick with you beyond childhood and are often given based on something you said or by a physical action you did. The moment leaves such a mark that everyone still calls you by this name today.
There's a unique warmth in hearing your childhood nickname spoken aloud by other family members. It takes you back to your youth and transports you to those moments when everyone would hang out together.
While it can be hard to explain the history behind your nickname to a bunch of strangers, your family members already know, which makes it more endearing. It shows just how much you were loved as a kid.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
