Recording family history can be just as significant. In a 2023 YouGov survey, the majority of Americans said that their grandparents have been either very (39%) or somewhat (33%) influential in their lives. Yet not every grandchild knows their grandparents very well, as a 2019 poll by Ancestry found out that most grandkids want to hear about their grandparents' childhoods and younger years the most.
Recording a family member's story can sometimes be difficult as well. Firstly, they might not want to tell you anything at all. "I've got nothing to tell," they might say. However, as Kate Carter, founder and CEO of LifeChronicles, told WIRED, making it about the family might convince them. She suggests saying something like, "This would mean so much to me and to future generations of our family."
One of the most important things is to know what questions to ask (or what not to ask!). Ancestry experts recommend having a list of questions ready before you talk to them. Together with asking them things about when and where they were born and what their job was, ask things like: "Who was your hero growing up?", "What traits do you think are common in your family?", and "Did you have a favorite hang-out spot?"
"Then and now" is an interesting concept; we can see ourselves the way we were, the way we are now, and, perhaps, imagine the way we will be in the future. If this post got you in a nostalgic mood, share your "Past And Present" picture with us down in the comments, Pandas! And if you'd like to see more wholesome pics from this subreddit, check out our previous articles here and here!
