Will Your Child Develop Strong Memory Skills Or Be Dependent On Drugs To Do Well On Tests

Many kids today are ill prepared for remembering large amounts of information. They spend time studying and developing an understanding of the material. Yet, when it comes time to filing it in their brains so that it's there the next day for the test, they can't do it. Schools should be teaching them how to improve their memory so they can file and retrieve information with less effort.

Unfortunately, they don't. This leaves kids stressed out, frustrated and unable to perform to their capabilities. Since getting high grades is so important, it's not surprising that kids will try anything to improve their memory.

A survey in 2005 conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America found that up to 19% of college students take drugs to improve their memory and concentration. Here are 5 tips for parents to help their kids develop a strong memory starting today. 1 - Look for associations - kids need to see how material is connected to what they are studying or have already studied. That means taking a moment and reflecting on what place this new information has in their overall knowledge. This habit will become automatic once it's practiced a few times.

2 - Create images - a picture is worth a thousand words. Have your child stop for a moment and create an image of the vocabulary word or the definition of a science term. Once they do, they can recall this image during the test and get the answer immediately. 3 - Create stories - sometimes it's necessary to create a story that incorporates a lot of information. For example, the causes of the American Revolution can be combined into a mini movie that would include your child's favorite sports stars, singers or friends.

The story can be as wacky as necessary as long as it includes the important points. 4 - Pay attention to what you eat - you can't improve your memory without a healthy brain. If you don't feed the brain what it needs, it won't respond when the time comes. Stop fooling yourself. Candy and junk food are the enemy when it comes to a strong memory.

Fruits, vegetables, protein and complex carbohydrates will improve memory function almost overnight. 5 - Visualize - parents should not discount the power of visualizing success. If you can get your child to spend just a few minutes imagining doing well the day of the test, you will be amazed at the results. If they do just that, they will improve their memory and much more.

It is never too late to develop memory skills. And once your child does, there will be no need to look to drugs for help. Their success in school will come naturally.

Jim Sarris has been a math/Spanish/ESL teacher for 15 years and is the author of two books on memory: Comic Mnemonics for Spanish Verbs and his latest, Memory Skills Made Easy, a book/DVD that teaches your child memory strategies they don't learn in school. For his free report titled, "Why Your Child Can't Remember What They Study", visit his website at Improve your child's memory