Memorization is boring. It’s tedious. Some find it downright odious. Yet, in our society, there are certain things we are expected to know off the top of our heads. But how to go about it in the least painful way possible?
Have you ever noticed that when you see something over and over again, you tend to memorize it, even if that wasn’t your original intent? My mom used to have a plaque hanging in her bathroom with one of those syrupy sayings on it. One day, my sister came out of the bathroom reciting, “To one who bears the sweetest name, and adds luster to the same, Long life to her, for there’s no other, who takes the place of my dear mother.” No sooner had she begun to recite than I joined in. That saying was emblazoned on our brains, having seen it so many times in the past.
You can use this function of the brain to your advantage. Make little signs and charts and hang them all over your house. Right now, I have the capitals of four states taped to the front of my freezer. Each time the children reach inside for a corn dog or a freezer pop, they are coming face to face with those words, and it won’t be long before those capitals are tattooed on their memories. You can also hang up number strips that show how to count in fives, or label items around your house with their Spanish terms, if you’re studying Spanish this year.
Whatever you are trying to help your child memorize, write it down and hang it up. Your children might not particularly enjoy being reminded at every turn that they’re supposed to be memorizing something, but with this technique, it happens almost without effort on their part, and the squawking is greatly reduced.
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