Childhood and home
Start with places and everyday sensations.
- What street did you live on as a child?
- What did the house look like inside?
- What sound usually began the day?
- Who did you play with most often?
- What games did you play?
- Who cooked at home, and what do you remember eating?
- What was the first move you remember?
- Who looked after you most often?
- What did your family do on holidays?
- Which old photograph immediately brings back a story?
School and leaving home
If a year is unclear, record the life stage and check later.
- What do you remember of your first school day?
- Which teacher has stayed in your memory?
- What subject did you enjoy most?
- What did you usually do after school?
- Who encouraged you to keep studying?
- Did an exam or school choice change your path?
- Where did you first travel on your own?
- What did you take with you when you left home?
- Which school friend stayed in your life?
- What work did you imagine doing when you grew up?
Work and decisions
Ask what an ordinary workday was like, not only for job titles.
- How did you find your first job?
- What worried you on the first day?
- What did a typical day involve?
- Who taught you something important?
- What mistake changed the way you worked?
- Was there an opportunity you turned down?
- What small achievement made you proud?
- How did you handle conflicts between work and home?
- Which colleague helped you through a difficult time?
- Which decision now surprises you most?
Love and family
Ask permission before entering personal territory.
- What do you remember of meeting your partner or closest friend?
- Who told the best jokes at home?
- Who cared for you when you were ill?
- How did you get along with your siblings?
- What surprised you about becoming a parent?
- Which habit of an older relative would you like to keep?
- What saying did your family repeat?
- Was there a misunderstanding that was eventually resolved?
- Which reunion do you remember most clearly?
- What should your children know about someone no longer here?
Change and what remains
Repeat what you heard before pressing for emotion.
- What was the biggest change in your surroundings?
- When did everyday life begin to feel different?
- What helped you through difficult years?
- What did you understand only much later?
- Did you ever change your mind about someone?
- What can you now accept that was once painful?
- What small everyday thing should the next generation remember?
- Where would you like to go once more?
- Which of your own words should the book preserve?
- Whose perspective should we ask for next?