We’re still not too clear, from a scientific point of view, on just how much stuff is hardwired in our brains from birth and how much develops along the way.

I certainly wouldn’t claim to have much insight on the subject. But I do have a couple distinct memories from my post-potty-training, pre-pubescent years of an early interest in wearing diapers.

The first comes from when I was still young enough that my mom met me at school every day and walked me home, which I think must have been around kindergarten age or so (I had an older brother at the same school, so we were able to walk ourselves over without parental supervision pretty early — keep in mind that this was also a very safe Midwestern town quite a few years ago!).

In that memory I distinctly remember kind of needing to pee, but not really being at the desperation point or anything. And for some reason — frustration with other things, maybe — it felt very unfair that I used to be able to go to school diapered, but now I couldn’t, and so I just let go.

I then immediately tried to hide the massive wet stain and claim I hadn’t wet my pants, of course (kids are dumb), but it definitely started with a feeling of unfairness that I didn’t have the option of not bothering with a bathroom.

Several years later, I have another distinct memory of playing with a similarly-aged kid from the neighborhood, and convincing him that it would be entertaining to sneak a couple of his toddler diapers out and wear them. They didn’t fit, of course, but we gave it a shot, and I remember being pleased with the attempt.

That was before the internet, and before puberty, so I really didn’t have any way of knowing that there were adults who wore diapers, or that it was possible to have a sexual interest in wearing them (or a non-sexual but non-medical interest, for that matter).

So there can’t really have been any external influence putting those ideas in my head. Which sorta makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Some of us, I know, come to diapers through necessity, but I’m curious how people who started wearing for fun or for convenience first got the notion into their heads. Has the interest been with you since childhood, or do you have a distinct awareness of when you first thought of wearing diapers? Please share in the comments!