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From: "R_J_S" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Suggestions on how to get your grown children interested requested.
Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 18:45:03 -0700
References: <445CCBB7.19080.50C58B2@localhost>


Joyce,

You've already gotten a number of excellent responses. Let me add my two
cents.

I think that the family stories, pictures, artifacts and mementoes are the
key to hooking them, or at least getting them to pay attention. I give them
things in hope that they will pay some attention.

My kids, my brothers and my cousins receive a 16 page family newsletter from
me every Christmas, whether they want it ot not <BG>. It's my way of
documenting what I've found, highlighting family news (births, deaths,
marriages, trips, etc) and ancestral families. I now have 18 years of
research work embedded in the newsletters. Some of them keep them year to
year, and they know who to contact with a family history question. Everyone
appreciates what I do, some comment that they wish they had more time, and I
often get cards and notes correcting my errors (picture IDs are tough,
sometimes). However, nobody wants to contribute a story or
pictures...strange, eh? Just like genealogy newsletter readers, I think!

My two daughters are very different from each other. My older girl is very
analytical, and is the one who wants me to tell her about my childhood,
youth and adult life. My younger girl is a teacher, and loves the old
family stories and wants more of them. On the other hand, their husbands
are not interested in family history at all - but they say they really
respect what I do, they just don't want to do it themselves. Using Elissa's
analogy, my daughters are savers, my sons-in-law are throwers! I give them
a CD every year with my updated databases, the year's photos, and my latest
genealogy reports - to save for me as a disaster plan, but perhaps to hook
them into genealogy. The grandchildren aren't old enough yet, but they are
going to get a lot of experience traipsing through graveyards before they
are teenagers. Going places, ice cream, playing games and exploring with
grandpa are magic times.

My wife has absolutely no time to even read what I write, but she absolutely
loves to go on genealogy trips and talk to the cousins and genie friends.
While I go to the library or graveyard, she goes shopping at angel stores or
with the friends/cousins. She does like the themed historical parks like
Plimoth Plantation, but has no use for the typical museum. Everyone is
different, and you need to play to their likes and avoid their dislikes.

Cheers -- Randy Seaver / (blogging at
http://randysmusings.blogspot.com )

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