Questions to ask your grandparents
The best questions to ask your grandparents are not the big ones. “Tell me about your life” gets you nothing. “How exactly did you two meet, that day?” gets you an hour.
Childhood and the house
Always start here: these are the most solid, easiest memories to tell.
- Where did you sleep, and who shared the room?
- What smell do you associate with your childhood home?
- What was Sunday dinner?
- What was forbidden in your house?
- What was your favourite game, and who played it with you?
Parents and origins
These tie the family to places and dates you can verify later.
- What did your parents actually do for work?
- Where did your own grandparents come from?
- Was there a move or an emigration in the family?
- What language was spoken at home?
- What was never said in front of the children?
Love, work, decisions
Here you are after turning points, not chronology.
- How did you meet your spouse?
- What was your first paycheque, and what did you spend it on?
- Which job did you love, and which did you hate?
- Is there a decision you regret?
- What are you proudest of?
What is left to pass on
Ask these at the end, once the person is comfortable.
- What do you want your great-grandchildren to know about you?
- Which object matters most to you, and why?
- What advice has held true your whole life?
- What would you like the family to keep doing?
Frequently asked questions
How many questions per session?
Five to eight, no more. One good open question often fills ten minutes on its own.
What if a question causes tears or anger?
Stop the question, not the conversation. Move to a lighter memory and come back later — or never. The person’s comfort outranks the archive.
Should I send the questions ahead of time?
It helps a lot with reserved people: they prepare, recover dates, dig out photos. It makes the story richer, not less spontaneous.
Solexi does not replace a legal will, a notary or a lawyer. Solexi helps you gather, organize and pass on your information.