IDEA STARTER

The value of taking the time to review photos of you and a parent while recording your recollections is priceless.  The importance of spending the time reminiscing with a parent and grandparent cannot be understated. Your kids will value these stories as will future generations.

Courtships are the foundation of family units and always make an interesting story. How did the couple meet? How long was the courtship? What were the best and worst times? What were the greatest challenges and how were they overcome? What advice do they have for other?

Pregnancies are the birth of a new story? Each pregnancy and each child is unique. Record your pregnancy experience to share with your child when they get older. How did you feel? What were your hopes, aspirations, and fears for your child? Share your story with them when they are having their own first child.

Recall the birth of your first child. What were you doing? How did that impact your life? How did you feel about it? Share the story with them when they are your age, and they will share it with their children.

Short biographies are a good way to get started quickly. Gather several photos of a family member and describe their life in terms of what they did and what they meant to you.

Interview someone who lived through a major event. What was their life like just before, during and after. How did the event change them?

What games did your family play? Who cheated the most? Who won the most? When did you stop playing and why?

Where did you go to school? Was was your experience like? Were you popular, a good, average or poor student? Did you work your way through college, or benefit from the GI bill? Did you follow the path your parents wanted you to take? What would you do if had a do over?

Show them pictures of their first day of school, vacations, parties, bike etc. and record them talking about them. Kids look to the future. Ask them what they want to be. Record their recollections in their sweet little voices. They will love sharing them with their own kids and grand kids.

The first car is always a winner. Everyone remembers their first whether it was their first bike, car, girl/boy friend, date, prom, wife. These all make great stories. Consider creating a story of all the cars you owned and the pictures and a few stories relating to the adventures on the road and in the car.

Hobbies also reflect who a person is. Were they creative? Were they task and detail oriented? What did they choose to paint or build? Which family member ended up with those masterpieces?

Photograph the diary so all siblings and grandchildren can have access to it. Diaries are a glimpse into one’s life. What did they write about? If possible get the family member to read a few excerpts so you can archive the diary in their voice.

What holidays and family traditions did you celebrate? How important were they to you? Choose a favorite holiday season and show photos across a number of years and and record a conversation sharing your memories.

Whether it is a hobby or a career, many talented amateur artists have come and gone without recognition. Make sure you photograph those pieces you or your parents and grandparents created before they dissipate into the descendant pool.  This way everyone can appreciate the creative side of the person.

What do you do with the scrapbooks that were so lovingly put together by the creative minded parent? You can’t divide them up among the kids/grandkids. Scan or photograph each page and if possible, record the parent reminiscing page by page. It will be a treasure shared by all siblings and grandchildren.