One of the most subtle foes of a good memory is procrastination. Like conscience, memory can be dulled and almost ruined by continual disregard of its suggestions. Failure to act when reminded ruins what memory power you have and retards your progress and further development. A Reminder picture will suggest an errand or duty one--two--or more times, but there is an ever increasing lapse of time between each reminder. To Procrastinate--to put off doing the thing will dull the suggestive power of the memory. It will clutter the mind with undone things which will cause mental worry. It will weaken the will power. To Act--to accomplish the thing at the first suggestion quickens and improves the suggestive power of the memory. It clears the mind for new thoughts and plans. It relieves the nervous strain and increases and strengthens the volitional power. It is the child's memory you wish to improve and this can only be accomplished by his effort. You must help, of course, but do not do too much, merely suggest. Get him to imagine and visualize his own pictures, it will be better for him to make the effort than for you to make it for him. Attention and Memory The subject of Attention and Concentration has been discussed in the former book, but it will be well to note their relation to memory and how we are using them here. We have introduced motion into the mind's eye picture to strengthen its impression; the result comes from a prolonged period of attention. In the exercises for cultivating the power of attention we used the method of change, or motion. It produced prolonged attention, which results in memory. Exaggeration and the unusualness of the imaginary picture inspires that quality of involuntary attention which helps to produce concentration. The quality of the stimulus to the attention is improved by introducing anticipation, pleasure, or their opposites. The clear, vivid, mind's eye picture creates a greater quantity of attention, and if the objects are familiar they add to the possibility of clear visualization. The attention should become fixed upon the picture and this can not be done if they follow too rapidly. Take time to make the impression and for best results become as much interested in it as possible. Every means which results in prolonging or intensifying the attention improves the scope and accuracy of the memory faculty. The Child's Code List