How to Interview Family Members – Preserve in a Time Capsule

How to Interview Family Members – Preserve in a Time Capsule

Grandma’s Stories – Teachable Tools to Keep

You don’t know what you have until it is gone. That is why here at The Original Time Capsule company, we want to help you think of a way to keep your loved one’s voice recorded to hear their messages of inspiration, hope, advice, and funny stories, alive years into the future.

Interview family members – Save Your Loved One’s Voice in a Time Capsule

Not everyone has the privilege of meeting their grandparents or other close relatives. It is a sad day, when we get older, then think to ask questions like, “What was it like when you grew up?” to our relatives, who may not be there anymore. We forget many little details of our own lives, let alone those close to us.

Many times we say “I will never forget this moment,” only to find years down the road, our memory starts to fade away, about that special time.

Interview family members – Never Forget Milestone Moments

Recording your loved one’s voice or interviewing them is one major way to keep memories lasting forever. For example, save Grandma or Grandpa’s voice on an audio file, along with a means to replay it, in a Baby Time Capsule. Then, when your child turns 18, or whenever you choose as a parent, have them open the time capsule and relive their memories of who their grandparents were as they talk all about their lives on the audio recording. What a special moment that will be. WARNING: Have the Kleenex tissues ready.

How do I Interview my Loved Ones?

So you want to be journalist for the day and interview your loved one huh? What a lasting gift this will be for your child. Here are some steps to help you reflect back on their life and ask questions about your loved one’s thoughts and feelings about life at this time or in their past growing up.

Interview Family Members Tips

It is like a journey. You start at one point in time and travel to another, with many different stories and adventures in between.

1. Let you loved one know what you want to do and what subjects you would like to discuss.

2. Record with video or audio means that you know you can also keep the unit used to play the recording back in the long-term future. For example, if you save it as a computer file, you can keep it more than one place, to make sure it does not get lost or damaged. Use things like a USB drive or CD because these will most likely be around for a long time. I still can find VCR’s at garage sales or Goodwill stores.

3. Have a list of questions, but do not be afraid to add or change your list as the interview flows.

4. Think about and ask questions you would want to know about and be asked yourself.

5. Ask open-ended questions, like “Why did you like your school?” not “Did you like your school?”

6. Do not move too quickly through the questions. Allow your loved one to think about their answer, because you want to allow them time to reflect and talk about important details of their stories. Let them help paint a picture of their experiences for you to treasure forever in the future.

7. Be a great listener for your loved one. Show how much you care about this opportunity for them to share about their life. Look at them when they are talking to you, nod your head and lean forward toward them showing interest. Do not be in a hurry to get through the list of questions. If sensitive subjects arise, try splitting the day of the recording to allow for more time of reflection and break to process feelings of your loved one. You may miss an important insight about life, if you move too quickly.

8. Show how much you are listening and understanding, by reflecting back or paraphrasing what you just heard your loved one say to you, by saying things like, “So you are saying _________________________.”

9. Honor them and their life. Make sure you have the correct spelling of their full name and date of birth.

10. Make it fun and comfortable. Forget the recording is even happening. Set up a dinner table with your favorite drinks to enjoy during the interview. Treat your loved one like a movie star with the red carpet leading to the table. Be creative. You could even do a series of interviews spread throughout several years, to give updates on stories for your audience or the person receiving the time capsule in the future.

11. Make sure you cover as much as you or your love one wants. Concluding or closing questions could be things like, “What would you like to add to the time capsule and why?” or “What do you wish I asked, but have not yet?”

12. Always make sure to thank your loved one. Thank you goes a long way in this world. So does an unexpected Thank you card in the mail.

We hoped these how to interview your love one tips help you create a memorable moment to keep for years into the future, to re-celebrate their life again. For some fun FREE Printable Interview worksheets for kids to fill out about their mother or grandmother, see http://b-inspiredmama.com/2013/04/mothers-day-printable-interview/ or for more helpful tips and adult interview questions, see http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2013/11/26/interview-questions-for-the-thanksgiving-table-2/

Get your decorative Baby Time Capsule at http://www.timecapsule.com/product/babystimecapsule/ and start early with your child, saving stories from their grandfather, or great grandmother. What question would you ask a loved one for a recording to save for the future? Comment below and help others.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

www.timecapsule.com

www.timecapsule.com