Ask grandparents to write a journal / record their lives?

[Anonymous]

My husband's parents are English and live in NZ, and we see them once a year at most. They are 92 and 88.
They are extraordinary people who have travelled the world, been in the army, were born extremely poor, and lived things that are hard for me to imagine.
My kids are 4 and 8, and I don't know how much they will remember of the grandparents, or how much they will know about them.

So, I am thinking about proposing to them that they do some sort of journal, something I could buy, or something they could just write.

The thing is, I don't really know how to go about it. I am not close to them. We are always polite with each other, but I worry they could be offended, just because they are old and they will obviously not live much longer.

The reasons I would like them to do it are mostly selfish, for my kids, I think it would be nice for them to have (I don't know much about my grandparents and it is something i miss, like a small part of me is missing). I would like to think that the grand parents would like to write their story and would enjoy it, but i am not sure. Mentally they are 100% and remember all sorts of things and dates. Physically they have back pains, they get tired, things are getting difficult.
So perhaps they would feel burdened by it, and they would not say it? I don't know.

I would like to hear perspectives etc .

To give an idea, there are some journals on amazon, like these http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_7?rh=n%3A11385%2Ck%3AGrandpas+journal&keywords=Grandpas+journal&ie=UTF8&qid=1376541040&rnid=2941120011
Haven't seem any myself.

[Anonymous]

I just talked to my mom today to buy a digital recorder and tape my grandmas stories.

I miss it so much, she is extremely ill and I'm 2 oceans away =[

I want my kids to hear her stories too!!!!

[Anonymous]

I am a middle-ager who is thrilled when asked to recount my past.

I only do so when asked, lest I be obnoxious.

Now that you mention it, I think I'll start a journal.

[Anonymous]

I bought my parents some of those prompt journals for grandparents, and they are very excited.

DH's parents passed away years ago and we are very sorry that we don't have anything from them in their own words to share with our kids.

I'm not a great journal writer, but DH and I are also both trying to capture some of our own history via similar guided journal-type books.

[Anonymous]

Keeping a journal is an awful lot of work. I would ask them to think about an experience that may be of interest to future generations and ask them to write about that.

FWIW, I have an ancestor who sat down and did this before he died. It still mesmorizes me to read it so I think your idea is a very good one. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I feel the same way about my grandmother, but know that it won't happen unless I take some initiative. So, lately I've been calling her and sitting with a computer in front of me during our conversation. Before I call I write down a few things I want to be sure to ask. Then of course more stories emerge. I capture not only facts and stories, but also some of her direct quotes when she describes them.

My husband's grandparents are closer, so with them we brought a camcorder to the holidays and all went around the table and asked them questions about their lives. Really touching

[Anonymous]

PP here, also wanted to add that my goal is to compile all this info and write a little memoir of sorts that can be shared with her and the family.

[Anonymous]

20 years ago, I bought my elderly grandmother a simple, spiral-bound journal that had 365 questions/prompts - one for each day of a year.

I gave it to her one Mother's Day and she completed that thing within a few weeks! She was so excited! It has simple questions like, "tell me about your favorite elementary school outfit" or "describe your childhood home."

My grandma died soon after she wrote out all the answers. I treasure that little book and often read her answers to my children, who never knew her.

[Anonymous]

I think it's a lovely idea! I tried it with my mom & my husband's parents (my dad died right after I got pregnant with my daughter, so I think this stuff was especially on my mind). We found some pretty but simple and straightforward fill-in journals on amazon and gave them to our parents as gifts - they said they thought it was a great idea (my MIL even added that she was super on board with it because she hated the fact that she did the same for her mother who never followed through with it). 3 years later, nada from any of them.

I hope that others have better results than we did! It did inspire me to fill out one of my own though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a lovely idea! I tried it with my mom & my husband's parents (my dad died right after I got pregnant with my daughter, so I think this stuff was especially on my mind). We found some pretty but simple and straightforward fill-in journals on amazon and gave them to our parents as gifts - they said they thought it was a great idea (my MIL even added that she was super on board with it because she hated the fact that she did the same for her mother who never followed through with it). 3 years later, nada from any of them.

I hope that others have better results than we did! It did inspire me to fill out one of my own though.

I meant this face ---->

[Anonymous]

I have asked MIL. We have bought her a book, to serve as an outline only, to do so. She can writes or not write whatever she wants. She has all the time in the world. She lives near DC and sees them maybe twice per year. I doubt she would ever fill out the book, unfortunately. If she did, she would probably give it to SIL. It is disappointing that this is how selfish she is

[Anonymous]

My grandmother had incredible stories, and died when I was a teenager, so I didn't always fully appreciate them. When I was about 10mmy dad and his brothers video taped her telling the stories. So much cooler than just the journal, I can now look back and see what her apartment looked like, and hear her very heavy accent that I otherwise would have forgotten.

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of doing this. It really is in the nature of thoughts, experiences and memories on a multitude of issues including my childhood, days as a student, those who had a big influence on me, my own grandparents, parents, siblings. About the only thing I am a little unsure of is how candid I should be regarding romantic involvements - the good and bad.

It is for my children and grandchildren. I know I'd have loved to have had my parents do something on those lines.

Most of it will be typed and likely available to them only after i am gone. I may make a video of some personalized comments directed at specific individuals.