If you’re inclined to start capturing your family’s history by creating a memoir of your parents or grandparents, we have a list of questions that could be useful for the process. In this post, you can see some easy steps to create this memoir using LifeTales. Use these questions as a guideline. And, of course, it’s helpful to add other personalized questions about stories you vaguely know or have heard before.
About the person
Early years:
- What is your first memory ever?
- What is your happiest childhood memory? Your saddest?
- What is your favorite children's story?
- Do you have sisters or brothers? How did you get along? What were they like?
- Do you have a special song that was sung to you by either of your parents? What was it? Can you sing it?
- How is life different today compared to when you were a child?
- Where did you go to school?
- Where did you grow up?
- Was learning to read and write a struggle for you?
- What's something you were afraid of as a child?
- When you were a child, how did you imagine your adult self?
Teen and young adult years
- Did you go to High School?
- What were you like in high school?
- Was school easy or hard? What subjects did you like the most? Which did you dislike?
- Did you participate in any extra-curricular activities? Which ones?
- Can you remember your first kiss? With whom? Describe what it was like
- Who was your first love? Your first heartbreak?
- What is your best memory as a teenager with your friends?
- Was there a fantastic party you went to when you were a teenager?
- Was graduating from high school a big event? Did you have a prom? What was it like?
- Did you go to College/University?
- Did you work while you were in college/university?
- What were some of your summer or part-time jobs?
- Did you have a Professor that was important to you?
- Who were your friends? Are you still friends?
- What do you wish you would have learned more about in school?
Work life
- What was your first full-time job? When?
- How much was your first paycheck and what did you do with it?
- Does/Did your career make you happy?
- What would you do differently if you could?
About the family
General
- Who is the funniest person in your family?
- What about having kids didn't turn out the way you expected it?
- Did you have any pets? Describe it/them
- What is/was the best thing about your parents? What is/was the worst?
- Who is someone you've lost? What are some of your memories about that person?
About your kids
- How did you feel when each child was born?
- What was the story of their birth? Easy? Hard? Where?
- Was there a song you used to sing to your kids? Perhaps sing it again now?
- Can you think of a signature event that wonderfully demonstrates or describes the personality of your child?
- Did you sing a song to your children when they were young? What was it? Perhaps sing it now?
About your parents/grandparents
- Where are your parents from? Your grandparents?
- What do you know of your family history?
- Are there any special stories about your parents/grandparents you’d like to share with your descendants?
About your spouse
- How did you meet?
- Describe your engagement story
- Describe your wedding
- What do you admire most?
About Today
- What is great about your life right now?
- What would you like to improve/change?
- What are your dreams for 5 years from now? 10 years? Longer?
- What will your retirement be like (if not already retired)?
- What are some of your favorite things? Food? Wine? Hobbies?
- What are some of the memories you associate with a song? A smell? A Season?
General
- What's your favorite trip ever?
- Describe one of your most embarrassing moments
- What event in your childhood has had significant impact on your life?
- Which one of your parents are you most like?
- What's something that helped to shape your outlook on life?
- Have you ever felt brokenhearted?
- Describe an event or time when you laughed really hard
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