Caitlin Mahy, Associate Professor of Psychology at Brock, wrote a piece recently published in The Conversation about the reasons young children find it hard to remember certain tasks and how their memory improves over time.

Mahy writes:

“Another school year is upon us, and both parents and children have a lot to remember as people are coming and going on new schedules: make and take lunches, bring an item for show-and-tell, carry cups to the table for dinner when asked. 

 At this time of year, a young child’s forgetfulness can be frustrating for parents. They may be thinking (or saying) things like: 

‘How could you possibly forget to brush your teeth when I asked you one minute ago!’

 Or: 

 ‘What do you mean you left your lunch on the school bus?’ 

 It might reassure parents to know that the ability to remember to carry out future intentions, known as prospective memory, is still developing in early childhood.”

Continue reading the full article here.