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10 things your Kids and Grandkids WILL want to know about you...They may be absorbed in their own little world of toys and playmates right now butyears from now, as they brush with maturity, your kids are going to be interestedin the life you have led. They will want to know how your upbringing and thestories therein compare to theirs. They will want a closer look at the real you.As they discover themselves and their abilities they will begin to look closer tohome for the answers. These are some of the main questions you are likely to beasked. 1. Where were you born? The US is a nation of diverse cultures and peoples fromall over the world. Your kids are going to want to know where their roots lie. Arethey part Irish, part German? It’s interesting to know where you came from and ifyou still have family there. It gives your kids a sense of identity and theinformation needed to start researching their family tree. 2. What were you like as a kid? Your kids want to look into the window of yourchildhood. They want to see how your childhood compares to theirs. By discoveringhow you were as a child, teenager and young adult they can get a betterunderstanding of who you are today and perhaps who they are. 3. Where did you live growing up? They will want to know where you lived and howyou lived. Were you born in the US or did you come from another country as animmigrant? Share with them the details of your childhood home, the neighborhood,the room you had as a child and what your backyard was like. It’s sure to be quitedifferent to what they have been used to. 4. What were your parents like? Where did your parents take you and how was yourrelationship with them? What they know about your parents, so far, has beendictated by the roles they have i.e. Grandma or Grandpa. Let them see a differentside to their grandparents through your stories of your life with them. 5. Did you go on many dates? Not only will they get a sense of how strict yourparents were with you concerning dating but it will give them an idea of how itwas done when you were younger. Cultural and social differences can be quiteintriguing from generation to generation. 6. What were your hobbies/passions/pastimes? Depending on where you lived growingup your hobbies as a youngster may be wildly different to what your kids do today.You might even spark their interest in trying something new to them perhapssomething you were good at as a youngster. 7. Where and how did you meet my dad? What your kids really want to hear is afairytale love story and if this fits your experience then all the better. Formost of us, however, this is not quite the reality. You will be able to judge foryourself what is appropriate to tell them and still give them a good story. 8. How did you choose my name? Normally when we pick a name for a baby it’sbecause we just loved the name or we are naming the child after someone we loveand respect. Your kids will want to know who picked their name and why so they canestablish pride in their own identity. 9. What was I like as a baby/child/teenager etc? It’s OK to tell them the good andthe bad things about themselves growing up as long as there is a healthy measureof both. Some of your stories of them growing up will surprise them especiallythose very early memories they are unlikely to remember themselves. 10. What would you do differently with your life looking back? No child wants to

see their parents unhappy and full of regret but at the same time they will beinterested in your dreams and whether they were fulfilled. Share with them yourdreams and how these perhaps changed as you grew older. There are probably many more questions they are likely to ask. Writing anAutobiography is the one of the best ways to capture these stories in a morepermanent way. It will give you something solid to present to your family. What is an Autobiography & why should I write one?An Autobiography is quite simply a historical record of a persons life; thethoughts, feelings, events, people and places of an individuals past in detail.It’s your very unique and personal contribution to your Family’s History and on agreater scale your contribution to the history of the world we live in. There aremany reasons to write an Autobiography/Personal History. The main reason should bebecause you want to. Perhaps to share the experiences of your life with others; asa gift for your family; a desire to write; to try and understand your life and theforces that have shaped you; to gain a new insight into yourself; so that you arenot forgotten or simply to have a story to go with those dozens of old photos youhave kept in a box for years. Even Oprah has said ‘I urge you to pursue preserving your personal history toallow your children and grandchildren to know who you were as a child and whatyour hopes and dreams were’.What’s interesting about my life?Many people wonder who would be interested in reading their Life Story. Quitesimply, you’re Family. They love to hear these stories because it allows them topeer into a place in time ‘in your life’ which they don't know. Your time inhistory is different to theirs. The younger members of your family don't know whatyou were like as a kid, teenager, young adult, etc. They just know you as parentor grandparent. Some of them don't imagine you were anything else but the age youare now. So when you share stories of your life with them they begin to realizethat you were a kid too; you made mistakes, had fun, got into trouble with yourparents, etc. They feel like they can relate to you better, they feel like theyknow you better and this brings you closer together as a family. How do I begin to write my Life Story?The task of starting such a project may also be daunting for some. You don't haveto be a great writer to write your Autobiography. Your words written naturally aremore important. In fact ‘your words’ in ‘your handwriting’ are more precious toyour loved ones than any printed document. They will really feel like they have apiece of you forever. It is, however, advisable to structure your writing intoLife Stages; Childhood, Teenage Years, marriage, etc but you can start atwhichever life stage is most comfortable for you. There are no set rules. What if I have forgotten?Many people also feel like they have forgotten the details of their childhood. Notso, they are still in there and just need a gentle push to the surface. Trylooking through old photos and memorabilia you may have kept over the years. Takesome quite time to reflect. How long will it take to complete?An Autobiography should never be rushed or run to a schedule. This is your

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