Feel like flying solo for a while?

There are many free or inexpensive ways to get started on your journey! The suggestions below are just that, suggestions. Note: I don’t receive any financial benefits from suggesting these services and items to you!

Ask Them Questions – Family History Project

You don’t have to have special, fancy equipment to start this project. All you need is something that records audio and/or visual! If you have a smart phone, you have all the equipment you need. Sit down with your family member, and touch record. It’s that simple.

Okay, it’s not that simple. If you want a GOOD recording, you’ll need to follow a few key rules.

• Sit in a quiet room in order to limit ambient noises that could drown out your family member’s responses.
• Make sure that there isn’t a light source behind your family member. (Unless you want them to look like they are in witness protection.) In fact, make sure that you have a light shinning on your family member. You can pick up a fairly inexpensive “selfie light” like this one to clip on your phone and shine on your subject!
• Unless you want to spend an hour or so holding your phone, I suggest investing in a tripod like this.

You can move chronologically through time, or focus on a specific event. Having family photos on hand is a great way to start conversations, too. You never know where a simple question can take you! Here are some example questions to start with:

CHILDHOOD

1. What were your siblings like as kids?
2. Tell me about your mother as a mom/your father as a dad.
3. Did you know your aunts, uncles, or grandparents?
4. When did people come over to your house, and who were they?
5. What was your favorite toy, and why?
6. How did you celebrate holidays as a kid?
7. Who were your friends growing up?
8. What is the first movie you remember seeing?
9. What did you do during summer break?
10. What elementary school/middle school/high school did you attend?
11. What is something that you’d like me to know about your childhood?

ADULTHOOD

1. Who was your first sweetheart?
2. What was your first job?
3. Did you go to University, what was it like?
4. Tell me about your spouse.
5. What was your wedding like?
6. How would you describe your spouse’s family? Who do you remember meeting?
7. What is your first memory of parenthood?
8. How did you like to relive stress as a young parent?
9. Did you have any hobbies that have gone by the wayside?
10. What was your favorite vacation? What happened during it?
11. Is there anything you’d like me to know about your adulthood that I haven’t already asked?

FAMILY BRANCHES…this is where family photos come in handy!

1. Who were your aunts? Whose sister were they? Who did they marry? What were they like?
2. Who were your uncles? Whose brother were they? Who did they marry? What were they like?
3. Do you remember your grandparents?
4. Do you remember your great-grandparents?
5. Do you remember going to a particular cemetery where many family members are buried?

Records Platform

Coming soon…

Organization of Your Records

Coming soon…