Wednesday 6 July 2022

A Concept - Eidetic Memory

Hello friends, hope you all are doing good. I was quite busy with my son's school and other activities, as we all are getting adjusted to the new normal i.e, starting of schools and offices. At last, the wait is over for our kids, as they are happy to be back to school. And I am back in my favourite zone (writing). So, here I have come up with a beautiful concept which I have come across for a while now when I met a person in one of the video shots in "Art of Living International Centre". A mastermind and genius who holds a "Genius Book Of World Record" in memorizing the longest word sequence in one minute. When we had a brief chat with this super human, one of the key aspects he referred to me was "Eidetic Memory". He explained to me further how to use it and put it into one day-to-day routine, which can play a great role in training one's memory. A topic especially useful for kids. All we need is just 10-15 minutes of our time in our day-to-day schedule to spend with our kids and discover their hidden genius minds present in them.

Have you ever come across how a 5 or 10-month-old baby can identify picture cards including flags, images, fruits, vegetables and even people for that matter. And thousands of other kids like yours.  Have you ever wondered how kids can remember objects/recall people when they were just a baby? because most babies have a strong "Photogenic Memory" and the ability to remember images or objects in great detail after seeing them for only a short time. If you are a parent who is serious about making your child a creative genius and not just a left-brain person this one is for you. 

So, what happens when that's left untapped, they are forced to memorize information eventually making them less creative. Schools mostly involve left-brain learning where everything they teach is either logical, analytical or factual. But, right brain learning is unique. Skills like photogenic memory, art and creativity can be inculcated only when kids get one-on-one attention. That is one of the reasons why art/music schools always charge high and take fewer admissions. 

Eidetic Memory which can also be called a "Photogenic Memory" is typically found only in young children, as it is virtually nonexistent in adults. But few adults have phenomenal memories (not necessarily of images). But children possess far more capacity for eidetic imagery than adults. Survey says Eidetic Memory has been found in 2 to 10 per cent of children aged 6 to 12. It has been hypothesized that language acquisition and verbal skills allow older children to think more abstractly and thus rely less on visual memory systems. 

This amazing ability can inculcate and practised in our kids on a day-to-day basis to enhance Eidetic Memory in them. Ever since I have come across this beautiful concept, I have been implementing it on my 8-year-old son, which has played a great role in his memorising technique. He is an extensively creative person and a wonderful artist at this young age, which helped me to experiment with this beautiful concept on him, as I have mentioned above this concept requires more right brain activation. 

One can spend quality time of at least 10-15 minutes with your child before going to bed. Once you have done with your bedtime storytelling, ask your child about the entire day's happenings. Mentioned a few bullet points as examples. It can be anything other than this which can be asked of your child.

  • What time your child got up in the morning.
  • The first thing/people saw after getting up from bed.
  • What was the colour of the saree/dress of his teacher in school?
  • To recall the page number in the textbook of any subject which was taught in school.
  • what was his friend's school bag colour?
  • Also to recall what colour of dress his friend was wearing, say one/two days back.
I enjoy doing this with my son before going to bed. And he doesn't stop for 2/3 he goes on and on. It has become our bedtime game after storytelling. By doing this one can develop a great bond with our kids. Also, there is a scientific reason that before going to bed it's good to develop a few habits like:- read a few lines from some good books. Write your daily journal for the next day and empty your mind to have a good night's sleep. Chant a mantra or do a few rounds of breathing exercises. It is a great routine to follow along with our kids so that they develop these good habits from a very young age. It is also a good practice for ending our day on a positive note. I have always heard parents telling, us that our kids don't listen to us. But we forget to notice that they are watching us. So we as a parent should develop good habits so that our kids just follow them. 

So what to linger for, hit your bed with some good sheets, dim light with some refreshing scented candles, ( yes! of course, candle lights are not made only for candlelight dinners with friends and partners) our cute little munchkins are the purest souls and deserve the most. Tuck your kid in your arms and give them this magic for a lifetime which never leaves them to start this new journey with your kid and give them loads of good memories to cherish. 

Do share your ideas and views through your comments. Thank you!