Questions to ask
The questions families wish they had asked.
Every question from the Tell Me Your Story journals. Pick one, ask it this week, and write down the answer.
Who are you asking?
Theme
100 questions
Childhood
- When and where were you born? What do you know about the day you arrived?Grandpa
- What were your parents like? Describe each of them in a few words.Grandpa · Grandma
- What is the very first thing you can remember?Grandpa · Grandma
- What did the house you grew up in look, sound and smell like?Grandpa · Grandma
- Did you have brothers or sisters? What were they like as children?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was a normal day like for your family when you were small?Grandpa
- What did your family eat for dinner most nights? What was your favourite meal?Grandpa
- What games did you play, and who did you play them with?Grandpa · Grandma
- Were you ever in trouble as a boy? Tell me about one time.Grandpa
- Who was the grown-up you looked up to most as a child, and why?Grandpa
School days
- What was your school like? How did you get there each morning?Grandpa · Grandma
- Which subject did you love, and which one did you dread?Grandpa · Grandma
- Tell me about a teacher you still remember.Grandpa · Grandma
- Who was your best friend at school? What did you get up to together?Grandpa · Grandma
- Were you a good student, a clever one, or a cheeky one?Grandpa
- What did you want to be when you grew up?Grandpa
- What did you do in the summer holidays?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?Grandpa · Grandma
- What music, films or radio shows did you love as a boy?Grandpa
- What is one thing you learned at school that you still use today?Grandpa · Grandma
Growing up
- What was the world like when you were a teenager?Grandpa · Grandma
- What did you and your friends do for fun on a weekend?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was your first job, and how much did it pay?Grandpa · Grandma
- What did you buy with your first real wages?Grandpa
- What was the bravest or most foolish thing you did as a young man?Grandpa
- What did your clothes and hair look like back then?Grandpa
- Where was the first place you travelled far from home?Grandpa · Grandma
- Did you learn to drive? Tell me about your first car or bicycle.Grandpa
- What did your parents worry about most when you were young?Grandpa · Grandma
- If you could go back and tell your young self one thing, what would it be?Grandpa · Grandma
Work and purpose
- What kinds of work have you done in your life?Grandpa
- Which job made you proudest, and why?Grandpa
- What was the hardest day of work you ever had?Grandpa · Grandma
- Who taught you the most about working hard?Grandpa · Grandma
- Was there a job you wanted but never got to do?Grandpa
- What skill are you proudest of having learned?Grandpa · Grandma
- Tell me about a mistake at work that taught you something.Grandpa
- What did a good day's work feel like to you?Grandpa
- How did you and the family get by when money was tight?Grandpa
- What would you tell me about choosing the work I do?Grandpa · Grandma
Love
- How did you meet Grandma? What did you notice first?Grandpa
- What was your first date like?Grandpa · Grandma
- When did you know she was the one?Grandpa · Dad
- How did you propose, or how did you decide to spend your lives together?Grandpa
- Tell me about your wedding day.Grandpa
- Where was your first home together? What was in it?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is a small, everyday thing you love about her?Grandpa
- What was the hardest time you went through together, and how did you get through it?Grandpa · Grandma
- What makes a marriage last, in your experience?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is your favourite memory of the two of you?Grandpa · Grandma
Family
- How did you feel when you found out you would be a father?Grandpa
- What do you remember about the day your first child was born?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was my parent like as a baby and a little child?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was the funniest thing one of your children ever said or did?Grandpa · Grandma
- What family traditions did you start?Grandpa
- What were holidays and birthdays like in your house?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was the hardest part of being a father?Grandpa
- What did you try to do differently from your own father?Grandpa
- What is a moment with your children you will never forget?Grandpa · Grandma
- What are you proudest of about your children?Grandpa · Grandma
- How did you feel when you heard you were going to be a grandpa?Grandpa
- What do you remember about the first time you held me?Grandpa · Grandma
- What was I like as a baby and a little child?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is the funniest thing I ever said or did?Grandpa · Grandma
- What do you love doing with your grandchildren?Grandpa · Grandma
- How is being a grandpa different from being a father?Grandpa
- What do you hope I remember about you?Grandpa · Grandma
- What do you see in me that reminds you of yourself, or of someone in our family?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is your favourite memory with me so far?Grandpa · Grandma
- What would you like us to do together that we haven't done yet?Grandpa · Grandma
Home and everyday life
- What does a perfect Sunday look like to you?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is your favourite meal to eat, and to cook?Grandpa
- Which song always takes you back to a certain time? Where does it take you?Grandpa · Grandma
- What hobbies have you loved over the years?Grandpa · Grandma
- Tell me about a pet you have had.Grandpa · Grandma
- What is your favourite season, and why?Grandpa · Grandma
- Where is your favourite place in the world?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is something you can make or fix with your hands?Grandpa
- What little thing always makes you smile?Grandpa · Grandma · Mom
- What has changed most in the world during your lifetime?Grandpa · Grandma
Life lessons
- What is the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?Grandpa · Grandma
- What do you know now that you wish you had known at twenty?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is something you changed your mind about as you got older?Grandpa · Grandma
- What does it mean to be a good man?Grandpa · Dad
- What should a person never do, whatever happens?Grandpa · Grandma
- How do you get through the hard days?Grandpa · Grandma · Mom
- What is worth worrying about, and what isn't?Grandpa · Grandma · Mom
- What are you most grateful for?Grandpa · Grandma · Dad · Mom
- Is there anything you regret, or would do differently?Grandpa · Grandma
- What has made your life a happy one?Grandpa · Grandma
For the next generation
- What do you wish for me when I grow up?Grandpa · Grandma
- What do you hope I will always remember about our family?Grandpa · Grandma
- What should I know about love when I'm older?Grandpa · Grandma
- What should I know about money and work?Grandpa · Dad
- What should I do when I feel afraid?Grandpa · Grandma
- What should I do when someone treats me unkindly?Grandpa · Grandma
- Which family story do you want me to pass on to my own children?Grandpa · Grandma
- What is one thing you want me to promise you?Grandpa · Grandma
- How do you want to be remembered?Grandpa · Grandma
- What would you like to say to me that you've never said out loud?Grandpa · Grandma