Chapters
- What was/is your relationship with your siblings? Has this changed?
- Were your parents strict?
- Remember your first car?
- What’s an achievement in your professional life that you’re proud of?
- What did you want to be growing up?
- Where did you meet your life partner?
- Did you have a nickname at school?
- What are some of the most important elections you voted in? What made them important to you?
- What country that you’ve travelled to has surprised you the most?
- What do you know about your family tree?
- What’s the first major news story or political event you remember living through as a child?
- What fascinated you as a child?
- Have you met any famous people?
- Do you have childhood friends you are still in touch with today?
- How did you rebel as a teenager?
- Do you have any notable ancestors?
- Tell us about a fun school trip you had as a child?
- Have you lived through any wars?
- Was your llife ever in danger?
- Did you go to any youth groups or summer camps?
- What’s the earliest birthday party you remember?
- Did you ever run away from home?
- How did your parents choose your name and does it have any special meaning?
- What are your memories of university/college?
- What do you remember about your family home?
- When did you first fall in love?
- What pieces of wisdom did your grandparents pass on to you?
- Where and when was your first date?
- Describe your father and write one favourite memory about him.
- Have you ever experienced a supernatural event?
- Where are your parents/grandparents from? Do they speak any other languages?
- Who was your favourite teacher and why?
- Do you remember your first job interview?
- What are your memories of primary school?
- Write about one of your happiest childhood memories?
- Describe your mother and write about one favourite memory with her.
- If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
- What is your earliest memory?
- Is there anything in life that has made your faith stronger? Or weaker?
- What family values were you brought up with?
- What was the most profound spiritual moment of your life?
- Did you have any serious accidents as a child?
- In your experience what makes a happy family?
- What was your first job?
- What are you most grateful to your parents for?
- How has being a parent changed you?
- What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Your story – Heather Scott
What pieces of wisdom did your grandparents pass on to you?
I only knew my paternal grandparents as my mother’s parents both died when she was quite young.
The only thing that I can say that my grandparents taught me, and this was probably not what they would have planned, was to not have favourites because, they certainly did and were quite happy to show it.
When my parents were married they lived with my fathers parents on the family farm, my sister was born there and lived there until she was two years of age, when my parents moved into the village, and although she wasn’t the first grandchild, there were at least ten before her, she was the favourite by far and they constantly showed it. If we went down there my grandfather would say to my sister “there’s something in my pocket for you” he would then turn to me and say”there’s nothing for you”. This probably seems quite petty now but to a smallchild it was quite hurtful. When my sister failed the eleven plus exam which meant she would have to go to the secondary modern school instead of the girls high school my grandmother wanted to pay for her to go to a private school, my mother asked her if she would do the same for me if, when I took the same exam in a couple of years, I also failed my grandmother said no. Needless to say my mother refused her offer. Their favouritism was quite blatant and very hurtful for a child, so their behaviour showed me how not to behave.