We’ve all done it: In a moment of multitasking, like putting away groceries, wrangling a toddler, and trying to plan dinner - or just a brainless moment when you’re not really doing anything - you try to yell out a specific child’s name…and another one, and another, circling back around in a confused muddle of words until you maybe arrive at the right one.
Riley-Col-Dil-Har…no…aaahh…YOU! Whatever your name is. Come here!
If you’re like me, the dog makes an appearance in the list as well.
This name mixup habit is quite common, as parents everywhere can attest. If you had siblings growing up, you can probably recall your mother doing the same thing on a regular basis. Sheez, Mom, you named me, why can’t you get it right?
Of course, you now understand how hard this very simple thing actually is. What the heck is wrong with us? Could it be a case of permanent “mom brain”? Maybe a little, since it seems our brains turn to mush sometime during pregnancy and never quite go back to normal, right?
Don’t worry - you’re not going crazy!
The more likely reason may be that you’re simply full of love for them! Science says so. Yes, there are studies on this.
A scientific review published in Memory & Cognition examined five studies involving over 1,700 participants to get to the bottom of this phenomenon.
Researchers found that this misnaming phenomenon occurred when referring to family members and friends, but mostly happened with mothers calling their children the wrong names (no surprise there).
There is some evidence suggesting a mixup when the names sound alike (Jade, Kade, Wade). But more often they found an association with their close relationship to each other.
“Overall, the misnaming of familiar individuals is driven by the relationship between the misnamer, misnamed, and named,” the study reports. Basically, the closer emotionally you are to someone, the more likely you’ll “forget” their name.
So why does this happen?
It’s not because we have a crappy memory. It’s because of the way our brains store information.
The brain organizes information in a “semantic network” in which similar things are grouped together. It’s kind of like we have file folders for different categories of people, places, things, and experiences.
The people you love most (i.e. family members) are all in one folder, so sometimes saying the right name, even if that person is right in front of you, is difficult. You have to shuffle through the items in the folder until you grab the right one.
So your lack of ability in such an easy task doesn’t mean you’re going insane or getting early dementia. (Phew!) It just means you love them enough to put them in a special category in your heart - and brain.
But . . why the dog too?
The fact that we often include the dog in the rambling cycle of names goes to show that this creature is certainly an important part of the family. “…our study does seem to add to evidence about the special relationship between people and dogs,” says Samantha Deffler, lead author of the study.
So you can stop asking 'what’s wrong with me!?' and rest assured it has more to do with your love for your family and pets than with your declining mental state.
Photo: Stock
Adapted from the original published on parent.com with permission to reprint.
LJ Kunkel is a mom of 3 who writes about health, fitness and parenting. She keeps her head on straight by working out, getting stuck in yoga poses and hiding all the chocolate.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Enjoy two hours of horse and pony rides at Castlewood Stables during Parent & Me Pony Rides. Your little ones will also get to interact with other farm animals, like mini potbelly pigs, bunnies, tortoises, a miniature donkey, a zebra and more.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the new Animals Aglow exhibit. Bring your family to experience the luminous glow of 50 towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Don't miss this celebration of culture and art!
Dinoroarus is back for a limited time at the Saint Louis Zoo. This engaging attraction for all ages features 14 groupings of animatronic and stationary dinosaurs - colorful, prehistoric creatures that move realistically, some roaring and spiting or placidly munching on lush vegetation.