My „multiple sclerosis“ Children remember more than we do

It started out inconspicuously. At one and a half years, Kryštof and Eliška started “reciting” poems with me. At first the interjections: “Bam, ale-up, hop,….”. Eventually, we started adding words and sometimes they were even faster than me. We started to sing the most popular lullabies at least at the age of two and I couldn’t skip a single word in the book. I was surprized, how much they could remember from the Czech and English texts.

Then I realised that if they want me to add additional verses, I could do the same for them. And to be honest, I was really surprized, how well it worked.

At first I said an entire verse and then stayed silent, as if I didn’t know how it continued. I didn’t have to wait long, until Kryštof or Eliška added the next part. In fairy tales, I started skipping the last word at the end of sentences, then the last two. I tried leaving out words in the middle of a sentence and in the end, then entire short sentences. The now four year old Kryštof has no problem with most of the blanks. And what is more, it started to be fun for him and the satisfaction from knowing the text is noticeable—especially when he occasionally reads with his father.

Eliška will soon be two years old. She is now at the stage of adding interjections and words at the end of verses and sentences. The pure child happiness, which she immediately expresses, is a motivation for continuing.

Training the memory is never a waste. Though becoming aware of one´s abilities and the feeling of accomplishment is, in my opinion, also an important step in their further development. Throughout their entire life they will desire to discover, explore and feel the joy of knowledge.

Author: Lenka Míkovcová

Translation: Marek Hubbell