Life Story Interview Kit [1 ed.]

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About the cards The Life Story Interview Kit includes 150 carefully curated question cards designed to help you uncover the unique stories and memories of your loved one. They are great for both one-on-one conversations and gatherings of family and friends.

The cards cover a wide range of topics divided between their Early Life, Mid Life, and Later Life & Reflection.

how to USE ' Designate one person as the interviewer or take turns asking questions' ' The interviewer draws a question card and reads it out loud' ' The interviewee answers the question while others listen, ask follow-up questions, and share perspectives' ' Proceed through the three phases of questions, taking breaks as needed' ' Feel free to skip, modify, or reorder questions to suit your circumstances'
' Enjoy the meaningful conversations, stories, and new memories created!

Tips for interviewing  Get curious! Don’t assume you already know the answers. You’ll be shocked at how much you learn  A good story is built from motion and reflection. Try to follow up chronological questions with a reflective question  Encourage elaboration. Ask open-ended follow-up questions that give them an opportunity to share more  Allow your loved one time to think and respond. Avoid interrupting or rushing them through their answers  Feel free to adjust the order or skip cards.

tales.com/interviewing

tips for recording $ Choose a recording device (e.g., smartphone, digital recorder, or camera) $ Test the device beforehand to ensure it works and you’re familiar with it $ Position the device close enough to capture the conversation clearly $ Minimize background noise. Close windows, turn off loud devices, and consider putting the dog in another room $ Check audio levels. Ensure that both you and your loved one are speaking at a comfortable volume.

tales.com/recording

early life

How did you get your name?

early life

Where were you born? Is that where you were raised?

early life

What were your parents like?

early life

Where are your parents from?

early life

How did your parents meet?

early life

What were your grandparents like?

early life

What are some of your earliest memories?

early life

What did your parents do for work?

early life

What were your siblings like when you were young?

early life

Could you tell me a story or memory of your brothers and sisters?

early life

How did your family spend time together when you were young?

early life

Who did you spend the most time with when you were a kid?

early life

Did your family have any holiday traditions?

early life

What was your childhood home like?

early life

Did you have any pets as a kid?

early life

Did you have members of your extended family that you were close to?

early life

Where did you go to elementary school?

early life

What’s the happiest memory from your childhood?

early life

What are your most memorable moments from elementary school?

early life

Who were your childhood friends?

early life

What were your favorite childhood games or toys?

early life

Did any of your childhood friends remain in your life?

early life

What did you do for fun when you were a kid?

early life

What kind of movies, music, and books did you enjoy as a kid?

early life

Did you ever get seriously injured or sick as a kid?

early life

Where did you attend high school?

early life

Did you have any influential teachers or coaches as a kid?

early life

What were your favorite subjects in high school?

early life

What did you want to be when you grew up?

early life

What was in style when you were in school?

early life

Were you ever given any special awards for your studies or school activities?

early life

Did your relationship with your family change in your teenage years?

early life

Who were your closest friends in high school?

early life

Where did you hang out with your friends and how did you spend your time together?

early life

What rebellious things did you do as a teenager?

early life

Did you date as a teenager?

early life

What was your most memorable date as a teenager?

early life

Did you work as a teenager? What did you do?

early life

What did you spend your money on?

early life

Tell me about your first car.

early life

When was your first car accident?

early life

Did you play sports in high school?

early life

Were you involved in any other extracurricular activities?

early life

What were your favorite books, films, and music when you were a teenager?

early life

Who were the most famous celebrities when you were growing up?

early life

What advice would you give a teenager now?

early life

What’s one of your craziest stories from your teenage years?

early life

Tell me about the time you got into the most trouble with your parents.

early life

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

mid life

Did you attend any school or training after high school?

mid life

What did you study in college?

mid life

Did you have any influential professors or mentors in college?

mid life

Did you work during college?

mid life

Did you serve in the military or have loved ones who served?

mid life

Who were your best friends in your early twenties?

mid life

Who did you spend the most time with in your twenties?

mid life

What are some of your most vivid memories with your friends in your twenties?

mid life

What was your dating life like in your twenties?

mid life

How did you meet your spouse?

mid life

Do you remember where you went on your first date with your spouse?

mid life

What attracted you to your spouse?

mid life

How would you describe your spouse back then?

mid life

What was your marriage proposal like?

mid life

How long did you date before you got engaged?

mid life

How did your friends and family feel about the person you were engaged to?

mid life

How old were you when you got married?

mid life

Tell me about your wedding. What was it like?

mid life

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

mid life

What were your first years of marriage like?

mid life

What did you admire most about your spouse?

mid life

What have you learned the most from your spouse?

mid life

What was one of the most difficult parts of your marriage at that time?

mid life

How many children did you have?

mid life

How old were you when you had your first child?

mid life

What was it like when you found out you were going to have a baby?

mid life

Tell me about the day your first child was born.

mid life

How did you decide on your children’s names?

mid life

Tell me about each of your children.

mid life

What were the holidays like when your kids were young?

mid life

What are some of your most memorable family vacations with your children?

mid life

What are your favorite memories with your children?

mid life

What’s your favorite story from when your kids were teenagers?

mid life

Tell us one of your proudest moments for each of your children.

mid life

How did it feel to become an empty nester?

mid life

Did you lose any family members during this time?

mid life

What did you do in your professional career?

mid life

What are some of your proudest professional accomplishments?

mid life

Who were your best friends during this time of your life?

mid life

How did you spend time with your friends?

mid life

How did you spend your free time outside of work?

mid life

Did you maintain or begin any hobbies?

mid life

What did you do for fun?

mid life

Were you a member of any groups or clubs?

later life & reflection

How did it feel when you became a grandparent?

later life & reflection

What is the best part about being a grandparent?

later life & reflection

What is the most challenging part about being a grandparent?

later life & reflection

How have your relationships with your children changed in your later years?

later life & reflection

What’s the worst news you’ve ever received?

later life & reflection

Have you lost any family members during this time?

later life & reflection

Who are your best friends?

later life & reflection

Who has been your friend the longest? How did you meet them?

later life & reflection

How do you spend time with your friends?

later life & reflection

When did you decide to retire?

later life & reflection

How have you spent your time in retirement?

later life & reflection

What do you do for fun now?

later life & reflection

What kind of movies, music, and books do you enjoy now?

later life & reflection

What are some of the most important things you've learned in life?

later life & reflection

What qualities do you most value in your friends?

later life & reflection

What is the most important thing you learned from your mother? Father?

later life & reflection

Who is the wisest person you've ever known? What have you learned from them?

later life & reflection

What have you changed your mind about over the years?

later life & reflection

What advice do you have for your children and grandchildren about being a parent?

later life & reflection

What did you find most difficult about raising children?

later life & reflection

What did you find most rewarding about being a parent?

later life & reflection

What song immediately puts you in a good mood?

later life & reflection

What life advice would you give to someone my age?

later life & reflection

What do you want your legacy to be?

later life & reflection

Has religion or spirituality played a part in your life? How?

later life & reflection

What are some mottos you live by?

later life & reflection

What is a dream you’ve let go of?

later life & reflection

What movie has inspired you the most? Why?

later life & reflection

What are some things on your bucket list that you have yet to cross off?

later life & reflection

What are your most treasured possessions? Why?

later life & reflection

What is something that always brings you joy?

later life & reflection

What would you do if money was no object?

later life & reflection

What career advice would you give to someone my age?

later life & reflection

What is your super power?

later life & reflection

Do you have any advice on choosing a career?

later

life

&

reflection

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

later life & reflection

If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it?

later life & reflection

What was the best news you have ever received?

later life & reflection

What part of your life would you go back to relive? Why?

later life & reflection

How is today’s society different from when you were a child?

later life & reflection

What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever done?

later life & reflection

What is your most precious memory?

later life & reflection

What is the best thing someone has ever done for you?

later life & reflection

What is the bravest thing you have ever done?

later life & reflection

What is the most significant loss you have experienced?

later life & reflection

What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

later life & reflection

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever been through?

later life & reflection

What is a regret you have in life?

later life & reflection

What advice would you give your past self?

later life & reflection

What makes you feel the most alive?

later life & reflection

What is something you like about our generation?

later life & reflection

What are some of your strongest held beliefs?

later

life

&

reflection

At my funeral, I hope to be described as

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