“Grandparents are a family’s greatest treasure, the founders of a loving legacy, The greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory. Grandparents are the family’s strong foundation. Their very special love sets them apart. Through happiness and sorrow, through their special love and caring, grandparents keep a family close at heart.” – Unknown.
Without your grandparents, your parents would not be here today. Therefore, you would not be here as well. Most grandparents even become a second set of parents that spoil their grandchildren with sweets, toys and other fun activities. While you love your grandparents, they will eventually pass away.
There are many ways to create this memory book — photos, videos and even interviews. To help you out, we created this list of questions to ask your grandparents that revolve around their early memories, pop culture, relationships and careers and life.
Early Memories
One of the things that many people regret after their grandparents pass away is not asking about those early memories. Since you were not born yet, you would have no idea what your grandparents’ life was like as a child. You can ask your parents, but they cannot give you the information as well as the people who lived through it.
To get all the details, ask these questions:
Where did you grow up? What was your hometown like?
You may know where they grew up or where their hometown was, but this is the time to dig into even more information. Ask to see any pictures they may have, what the town looked like when they were a kid, how much it has grown since then, their favorite places to go to and who their friends were. By asking these questions, you are not only helping them relive their childhood but also living it with them.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
It is always interesting to see people’s job aspirations. Plus, some jobs from 50 to 70 years ago do not even exist anymore. Asking your grandparents what they wanted to do can also bring you light into the steps they took to make their dreams come.
Did you ever collect anything? What was it?
When we think of our grandparents, we always think of their massive collections. From baseball cards to stamps, they have vintage or antique items that cost a pretty penny. You may also find a new collection hobby from hearing about theirs.
What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
You think that people are crazy now because of the internet and television. Listen to some of the crazy things the older generations have done. They did not have social media or cameras following them everywhere they went. So the stories they have maybe even crazier than yours.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Even our grandparents have embarrassing moments, in fact, they may have multiple. Hearing an embarrassing story also gives you an inside light into how human your grandparents are. They may seem like superheroes to us, but they also have their fair share of moments they blush about.
If you could go back and relive a particular time in your life, what would you do over again?
This is a deep question to ask your grandparents, but it can also teach you a valuable lesson. When you ask this question, they may take a while to answer.
Pop Culture
The world’s trends are constantly changing. That includes when your grandparents were young. Enjoy a glimpse of what your grandparents enjoyed when they were your age by asking the questions below. Plus, you never know — you may find a trend or two that resurfaced.
Who were your favorite movie stars growing up? What is your favorite movie?
While there are loads of movie stars now, nothing beats the classics like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelley and many others. That is why it is a great idea to ask your grandparents who their favorite movie stars and movies are. Then after you ask the question, watch a few of the films with them.
Who are your favorite musicians? What is your favorite song?
Music during the older generations was something out of this world. These musicians did not have the help of technology or autotune to create a hit. Instead, they had pure, raw talent. By asking your grandparents who their favorites are or what their favorite songs are, you can expand your music taste and knowledge.
What book(s) had the biggest impact on you growing up? Why?
There are many books that our grandparents read that we still read for school. However, there are many novels out there that they enjoyed that we may not know about. Plus, there may even be a few that changed their lives, and that can change yours as well.
Relationships
The best place to get love advice is from your grandparents. Yes, it may seem awkward at first, but they have more years in love and relationships than anyone else in your family. Here are just a few questions revolving around relationships that you can ask.
Who had the biggest influence on your life? What did he/she teach you?
Not all relationships in life have to be romantic. Instead, you can have many people who influence you, like family or friends. To help understand who your grandparents are fundamentally, you should ask them who their biggest influences are and what did he/she teach them.
Whom did you go on your first date with?
Who does not like listening to first-date stories? Listening to your grandparents’ first date stories (even if they are not with each other) can take everyone down memory lane.
How old were you?
It may surprise you, but the older generation dated just as young as the younger generations. That is why it is nice to hear how old your grandparents were when they first started dating people.
How did you meet your wife/husband?
Now, here comes the love story you were waiting for — your grandparents’ romance tale. Sit back and listen to how they fell in love.
What was your wedding like?
After finding out how they met and fell in love, it is time to hear about their wedding. Ask about what everyone wore, what the vows were like, the taste of the wedding cake and their first dance. Some grandparents may even have pictures for you to look at too.
What is the key to a successful marriage?
Your grandparents were the first example your own parents had for a successful marriage. And since your grandparents’ marriage or relationship has lasted years, they will know the best what it takes for a happy and successful union.
Career and Life
Career and life questions may be some of the most important questions to ask since they can give you helpful advice and information. There are many different kinds of questions — these are just a few.
When did you know what you wanted to spend your life doing?
Finding the right job is hard to do. Some people even spend their entire lives searching for their calling. Asking your grandparents about when they knew they found the right job can help you on your journey.
Do you have any regrets?
Sometimes in life, we do things that we are not proud or happy about. In some cases, we may even do things we regret. You can learn from not only your mistakes but your grandparents as well. Ask them if they have any regrets and what they would have done differently.
What is your favorite life accomplishment?
Throughout our lives, we have many different accomplishments, including finishing school, having children, winning awards and even more. To learn even more about your grandparents, do not forget to ask them about their favorite life accomplishments and what it took for them to get them.
How do you know if you are on the right path in life?
Just like finding a job, finding the right path in life is even harder. In fact, some individuals spend their entire lives trying to search for it. Some even take a wrong turn. If you want help on your soul searching journey, ask your grandparents if they have any idea on how to find the right path. You just may get some wise words of wisdom.
What is the best advice you ever received?
Your grandparents have heard hundreds of pieces of advice, but there is most likely one that helped them the most. And, you never know it may help you as well.
Our grandparents will always hold a special place in our hearts. By asking the questions above, you can learn a great deal about them before they pass on and add them to your memory book.