Sparking Genealogy Conversations…

I often hear from friends new to genealogy comments such as “I just don’t know where to begin.” They express feeling overwhelmed by the so much information on the internet.

I tell them:

Genealogy starts with conversations.

Conversations  with your parents/grandparents around a dinner table.

Conversations with distant cousins at a family reunion or other family gathering.

Conversations with relatives through social media.

Sometimes those conversations need a little help getting going. Have you ever asked a relative for information about the family history only to hear, “Oh, that was so long ago I don’t remember.”? Or “What do you want to know about all those people for? They’re long gone.“

Consider trying one of these tips to get those family history conversations started.

• Let the person you want to talk with know ahead of time any topics you want to know about. For example, “Grandmom, I will be asking about what Christmas was like when you were a little girl.”
• Take along a family photograph(s) and ask about the people in the photo.  Ask about where a photograph was taken or what was the occasion for the photograph. (This is my personal favorite!)
• Ask about a specific event in a person’s life.
• Make a list of questions you would like to know the answers.

Once you get the conversation started, I expect you will not have trouble continuing.  Sometimes you just need to get started.

  What are some of the ways you spark a family history conversation?