Building memories

Something RDI tries to focus on is building what it calls 'episodic memories'. It's more than just remembering something that happened. It's remembering the emotional reaction that went with it.

For example: not just "we went to the park today" but "we went to the park and I felt sad when I fell off the swing"

Bright Eyes is beginning to have these sorts of memories.

Yesterday his little brother and he were jumping on the bed and giggling their heads off. I said "oh, you're both so naughty" with a big smile on my face. They laughed even more.

Later that evening, I was talking to him as I usually do about what we did that day. I said, "you were being so naughty, jumping on the bed," and straight away he grinned ear to ear and started to giggle. "Naughty boys. Jumping. Two boys jumping." He laughed and laughed.

As he lay in bed, I could hear periodic giggles before he went to sleep.

That's episodic memory.