We sometimes doubt when people tell us of things which happen when
they were five years old. Children that are eight or nine can
often tell of things that took place when they were two or three.
Almost without exception you will find that these memories are eye
impressions--pictures. Have the child review those which you wish him
to retain and he will preserve the memory of them.
It is often the case that children have advantages of travel and see
many things that older people have not. Many of these advantages,
however, are wasted because the child does not review these interesting
things which he has seen. Children are seldom interested in
remembering. Parents should preserve the child's memory of important
sights and circumstances by asking him to carefully revisualize the
scene--to see it again in the mind's eye. Thus can the impression be
deepened and the child's memory and appreciation of the thing be made
to continue throughout his life.
Especially all unusual scenes which he may not have the opportunity of
seeing again for a long time should be visually reviewed a couple of
times during the first week and a number of times during the following
month. Two children had been camping in the north, where they one
evening saw a particularly brilliant display of Northern Lights. A
few months after this the children were asked, "What are the Northern
Lights? What do they look like?" The younger one had forgotten, but the
older one could describe them. When the two had thoroughly reviewed the
picture they had re-impressed it upon their minds. By doing this a few
times the children were able to permanently retain this memory.