Family History Before Family Stories

 

This week's posts are all on the topic of Family Stories, your own life story, as well. Yesterday, I focused on why we should write these stories. Today let's look at where to begin.

That's always a good question at the start of a new project. Where to begin? Someone once said, 'Where to begin? Start at the beginning.' A bit confusing to someone wanting to launch a new project. Perhaps the beginning would be to write about your family's make-up first. A short family history.

Include the members of your immediate family, parents, siblings, any other family member who lived with you--possibly a grandparent. Add dates of your birth and your siblings, even your parents. Many years down the road, those dates will have some importance. 

Add the place where you lived growing up. Or places, if that is the case. Children of military personnel live in many places over the rather short space of the years in which they were children and teens. As well as the actual place, you could include a descrption of your home or homes. 

You could add something about your ethnic background. That is usually something of interest to future generations as they will share part of that history with you plus others as marriages took place. We become real mixtures of heritages as time goes on. I am one of the rare people who have a half and half ethnic heritage. My father's family was all French, while my mother's was Irish. Perhaps there would be a few other things added in if I had my DNA checked, but the half and half is fairly accurate.

Make reference to what your father's job was. And your mother--was she a homemaker or did she work outside the home, as well? 

Finally, add something about your extended family--grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Did they live close to you or far away? Were they loved by your family or distant by choice? 

As you write this short family history, you will most likely trigger some memories. As they flit through your mind, take some time to jot a note to yourself. You'll have a list to choose from for your first family story. 

This is not a difficult task. Once you start, it's easier to continue. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how you can format your stories.