Before babies can talk, their memories are sensory. Their memories are stored nonverbally and are very difficult to express using language. (Kase, 2000 .p.51) Now, much of our memory is stored verbally, using language. This is why it is very rare for older children or adults to remember when they were babies.

• smells & "vague feelings" - Memories of the early years can only be evoked by a certain smell or even a vague feeling. (Kase, 2000 .p.51)
• stressful experiences - Some adults are able to remember particularly stressful experiences, such as a hospitalization. This is probably due to the fact that hormones released during stressful times cause heightened attention, which may in turn enhance memory.
• verbalized memories - If at the time of the event, the child was encouraged to talk about it, he or she is much more likely to remember it later. Not only is the event being re-experienced, the child is putting the information into words, making it easier to retrieve years later. (Kase, 2000 .p.51)
• stories, photographs - Sometimes people can recall or reconstruct memories based on being repeatedly exposed to stories about or pictures of a particular event or person.

Suggestion to Parents

Have your child express himself or herself in words. As Dr. Eliot explains, "Getting children to talk in sentences enhances their ability to narrate their own lives. That's what conscious memory is." (as quoted in Kase, 2000.p.51)

Some of Emilie's earliest memories come from learning things through song and making up stories that helped her to learn about herself and her world. One Memory/ Bedtime ritual, was her parents' adaptation of the song, "Goodnight, Ladies." By making verses that included the names of her extended family members, she was easily able to memorize names of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in order.