Hi all, I belong to several other lists and on one the idea of interview questions came up. I had developed this set for a classroom unit a few years ago and shared it and got lots of positive feedback.... soooo, thought you allmight enjoy having them as well. Remember to answer the questions for yourself and write it down for future generations as well! I originally prepared these for use by fourth graders in interviewing their grandparents, but at this point, enough adults have used them that I know they cross age barriers quite nicely; feel free to add to them amend them, make them your own. All the questions are designed to bring out information rather than "yes" or "no" answers - enjoy! Actually some folks had better success having their kids ask the questions - the elders somehow were less likely to call those sweet young faces "nosey!" It might be wise NOT to ask them all in one sitting! One more caution - I was so worried about interviewing my grandmother who was 89 and healthy that I forgot to interview my mother who was 65 with bone cancer. That was 11 years ago. Today the only record of my mother's voice that I have is on the interview of HER mother. My mother died two months after the interview. My grandmother died May 2, 1998, this year, 6 weeks short of her 99th birthday. Guess whose interview I do not have????? sigh...... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A GRANDPARENT INTERVIEW ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY ? From which country/ies did your family’s ancestors emigrate? ? When was this and where did they settle? ? What stories did you hear about their experiences in coming to this country? ? What are your parents’ names? What was your mother’s maiden name? ? Where were they each born? ? What do you remember most about your mother (your father) from your childhood? ? How did your mother (your father) spend most of her (his) time? ? What was her (his) primary occupation? ? What did she (he) do for pleasure? ? How did your family spend time together? ? How did your family relax or play together? ? If you had vacations, where did you go? ? Please tell about a favorite vacation/ a worst vacation. ? Was another language besides English spoken in your home? What was it? Who spoke it? ? Was religion an important part of your family life? ? Did your family attend a church, synagogue, temple or practice other spiritual approaches? ? Did your family seem to have enough money? Was money a family concern? ? What were one or two of the worst times in your family life? The best times? ABOUT YOURSELF ? What is your birthdate? ? Where were you born? ? What stories were you told about your birth? ? Were there any special or unusual circumstances? ? Were you born in a hospital or at home? ? What is your full name and how was it chosen? ? Who in your family do you most resemble physically? ? Who in your family do you most resemble in personality? ? How many brothers and sisters do you have? ? Where do you fit in the birth order? ? What are their names and birthdates? ? To whom did you feel closest as a child? ? To whom to you feel closest now? ? Describe a memory or two you will never forget involving your brother(s) and/or sister(s). ? Tell why this memory stands out in your mind. WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE (ages 2-12) ? What was your first memory going back as far as you can? ? Where did you live? What do you most remember about your home(s)? ? Did you have any nicknames? What were they? Did you like or dislike them? Why? ? Did you have any pets? Tell me about them…. ? What did you do for fun? ? Please describe your favorite toy or game. ? Were you ever very sick? Did you ever have a big accident (like breaking a bone)? ? What do you remember about grammar school? How did you get there? Did you have a favorite teacher? Why was he/she special? What did he/she teach you that stands out in your mind? ? What did you want to be when you grew up? ? What did your parents want you to do or be? ? What did things like this cost when you were young: ? Clothes ?Food ?Movies ?Toys ?Gasoline ?Stamps ? What do you think has changed the most since you were young? ? What do you wish had not changed? GROWING UP (ages 12-20) ? What household chores or jobs did you have to do? ? Did you get an allowance? How much? How did you spend it? ? What parts of school did you like the most? The least? ? Did you play sports in school? ? Were you involved in music or drama activities? Any other activities? ? Did you receive any awards or prizes for anything? ? Were you a member of any clubs? ? What songs or dances were popular? ? What or who most influenced your thinking during this time in your life? Why? ? As a teenager, did you get along with your parents? ? What kind of clothing did you wear? ? At what point did you move away from home? Why did you move? Where did you go? FAMILY CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS ? Did you celebrate any special family, religious or ethnic holidays in your home? Describe them. ? As a child, how was your birthday usually commemorated? ? What was the best gift you ever received when you were young? What occasion prompted the gift? Why was this gift so special to you? ? What was the best gift you ever gave? Why? Who was the recipient of your gift? ? Were traditional or favorite recipes prepared for special family events or celebrations? ? What were the recipes for? What were the occasions? May I copy the recipes? ? What were the “rites of passage” for you as you grew up? Were they formally or informally noticed? ? What family or holiday traditions have been the most meaningful to you? WHEN YOU GOT MARRIED….. ? How did you meet Grandma/Grandpa? ? How old were you when you first met? ? What attracted you to Grandma/Grandpa? ? When and where was the wedding? What can you tell me about that special day? ? Did you have a honeymoon? What are you willing to tell about it? ? Were there any surprises in your adjustment to married life? ? Were there any cooking disasters? ? Please tell a favorite story about Grandma/Grandpa. ? How were times different when you were first married? ?Entertainment ?Chores and cleaning ?Shopping ?Transportation ?Cooking ?Raising a family ? What do we have now that we did not have then? ? What do we not have now that you wish we still had? BIG EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE ? Tell about the births of your children? Names and birthdates, please! ? Tell about the births of your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Names and birthdates, please! ? What was it like to be a new parent? ? What do you especially remember about raising my mother/father? ? What do you especially remember about raising your other children? ? What did my mother/father do that made you feel especially proud? Angry? Excited? Happy? Disgusted? ? What parts of being a parent have been the easiest or most rewarding? ? What parts of being a parent have been the hardest or most frustrating? ? What were the most trying times for you as you raised your family? Why? ? What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you? ? What memories make you feel proud? Why? ? What moments in your life embarrassed you? Why? ? Please share with me if you can, memories of your saddest or most painful times in life? ? Apart from school, what have been your most important learning experiences? ? Have you ever been hospitalized? Where and why? ? What was your first job; part time or full time… How much were you paid? What were your responsibilities? ? What have been your favorite hobbies or past times? ? Where have you lived as an adult? What was your favorite place to live/least favorite place? ? Where have you traveled? What did you see or have happen on the trip(s) that you remember especially? ? Were you in the military? Where? When? Were you serving during a wartime? What was your job? ? If you lived through a war time, what was it and what do you remember the most about that time? ? Did you receive education beyond grammar school? Where did you go to school? What was the highest grade you accomplished? ? Do you hold any degrees? Did you receive any awards in education or in anything else? ? Have you ever met anyone famous? What can you tell me about them? ? As you look back, are there any time periods that especially stand out? Describe them and tell what was special about them? ? Are there times in your life you’d like to live over? Describe and tell why? ? As you look back, are there things you would do differently if you were doing them now? ? Is there anything you wish you could change? What and why? MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS AND CHANCES FOR ADVICE OR OPINIONS! ?What inventions have been developed in your lifetime? Did you invent anything? ?To which poiltical party/ies have you belonged? ?What are some of the best books you have ever read? ?What do you value most in a friend? ?What values do you hold dear? ?What is your best advice for your descendents? ?When you view the world today, what do you like/dislike? ?What would you like to change? ?What do you consider to be the biggest advances made in your lifetime? ?What do you consider to be the biggest setbacks made in your lifetime? ?What do you think are the biggest challenges today? ?Is there anything else you want me to know about your life that I have not known/thought to ask you?