False Memories

Did you ever hear of false memories?
I saw a talk show once, a long time ago, about these people who went to hypnotists to recover memories and the hypnotists really planted memories that never occurred.
These poor people ended up believing they were abused, and it never happened.
So, one lady accused her father of abusing her - and he never did.
It was awful...because she really was suffering from the trauma an abuse victim would have suffered from - she believed she was abused!!!

I was thinking about this yesterday.
Why?
Well...it seems my daughter has suffered from this same phenomenon.
No, she doesn't think she was abused.
(Unless you call making her do the dinner dishes every day and only paying her $5/week is abuse...child labor, maybe...not abuse...)
But, I've explained Bridgette's intelligence before, haven't I?
She took her ACT's in 6th grade and qualified for first year college courses (except in Math and Science, she reminds me...she was 2 points off).
This year - in 8th grade - she took her PSAT's...and scored in the 85th percentile in writing (the rest of her scores weren't bad, either).
So, I don't think she'll have any trouble getting into college when she's a Junior and applying.
I won't let her skip a grade...she may be academically mature, but socially mature? Not so much.
Okay - I say this not to brag - but, to let you know this kid is smart...more than smart - she's labeled "gifted."
...but she doesn't have a lick of common sense.
Her heart is ALWAYS in the right place, don't get me wrong - EVERYBODY loves Bridgette! But let's just say she's "naive" - to be sure! (We sometimes use the word "airheaded.")
Unfortunately, she's the spitting image of her Momma, so I can't say too much...
Although I grew up in Milwaukee...so I have a few more street smarts than she does...I'm much more suspicious...

ANYHOW...back to false memories....

I needed to give you the backstory so you know where she comes from...la la land.
The birthday tradition in our family is that on your birthday the kids in the family get birthday cake for breakfast.
This is a BIG DEAL! We eat fairly healthy around here. Cake for breakfast is NAUGHTY GOOD! So the kids spend a week poring over cookbooks to find the cake they want for their Birthday Breakfast...unless they have a fave.
Bridgette's b-day is Friday, so it didn't phase me when she told me she wanted Meringue Berry Pie for her Birthday Breakfast. (Meringue crust, scoops of ice cream center, berry sauce poured over the top and fresh blueberries to top it off! Heaven!)
Last night, Bee was complaining that she had a chocolate craving. Of course, we have no chocolate. (Remember? We eat healthy around here!) I told her that she should pick a chocolate cake for Friday's Breakfast.
Now, here's where the false memory makes its debut: She tells me that I told her years ago that she had to have a cake with FRUIT in it because it's a BREAKFAST cake! I looked at Mike and we burst out laughing! As if fruit in an ice cream cake would make it healthy! I told her that I never said anything of the sort and she swears I said that! I asked her to look at all the pictures from past years. Aaron is a chocoholic...I guarantee that his cakes are all chocolate! She looked puzzled.

This is not the first time she has pulled false memories out of thin air.

Just a few weeks ago we were riding in the car and she started laughing and when I asked her what was so funny she said, "I told Jillian how you told me Uncle Dave took his Driver's Test while driving with his knees."
????!!!! What?????!!!!
I never said that! You better tell Jillian you were LYING!!!!
She looked offended and swore I said that.
Ummm....I don't THINK SO!
"Then where did I get that from?" she asked.
I seriously have no idea.
La la land, I think.

Life is never boring with the things she thinks goes on around here! She's a sweetheart, and I wouldn't trade her anything - she's a good girl who wouldn't disobey me for the world...but she might MISUNDERSTAND me...that's always a possibility....