Making Family Memories More Relevant for the Younger Generation

Let’s face it; while our grandchildren may love to hear funny stories of when we were kids, most are not interested in looking at piles of pictures of people they have never met, or going through old scrapbooks or diaries of people long past.  However historians and biographers alike say we should try and keep our family’s history from getting lost as it often contains important life lesson about getting through good times as well as bad.  

As one of the researchers behind the study “The Power of Family History in Adolescent Identity and Well-Being,” Robyn Fivush, Ph.D., explains, “our families are among the most important social groups we belong to and identify with, stories about our family tell us who we are in the world, and who we should be."  One way to make our ancestors seem more relevant to our grandchildren is to point out common interests and goals they had.  

You might want to start by having old 8 mm and 16 mm movie films and videotapes of the family converted to new formats to make them easier to share.  There are many companies that will convert them well as do some editing to make them more enjoyable.  In addition take advantage of apps that allow you to organize pictures and arrange them into timelines that can be viewed over your smart device, or print a book of the most memorable photos of great-grandparents and others.  And remember even if the younger generation doesn’t seem interested in their family history today, they may change their mind as they grow older.   

As the finest senior living in Rio Rancho, MorningStar of Rio Rancho provides a safe, loving home for seniors who require a little assistance with daily living activities.  In addition to the area’s best assisted living, we also provide compassionate memory care.  Please contact us to learn more about our philosophy of care, our broad range of services, and pricing and availability.     

At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we are proud to offer the best senior living with our distinct mission statement - “to honor, to value, to invest.”  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents in a beautiful setting.  Pease visit our website for more about the most compassionate senior housing Rio Rancho offers. 

Source:  

aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/sharing-memories-younger-generation.html

goodhousekeeping.com/life/a29610101/preserve-family-history-storytelling/