In short: Sharing memories with your grandchildren doesn’t require writing a book or being a “real writer”. It can start with one good question. Stories Between Us is a keepsake set of 52 conversation cards you can use on your own as writing prompts, or bring to the Christmas table so your grandchildren can ask about your life. Founding Edition sets ordered by 1 November are guaranteed to arrive before Christmas.
“Nan, what was it like when you were little?”
It’s often a grandchild who asks first. Maybe over a jigsaw puzzle, in the car or while you’re making scones together. You start to answer, and suddenly you’re back on the farm, or in your first classroom, or at the dance where you met your husband. Then someone needs a drink, the moment passes and the story goes back in the shoebox.
If you’ve ever said “one day I’ll write it all down”, you’re in good company. Most of the people I work with have been meaning to start for years. Two things usually stop them: not knowing where to begin, and a quiet worry that their life wasn’t interesting enough.
Here’s what I’ve learned after 20+ years as a professional writer. Every life holds something worth telling, including yours. The stories you think are ordinary are often the ones your grandchildren find most fascinating. What did you take to school for lunch? How did you get around before the family had a car? What did your first pay packet buy?
You don’t need to be a writer. You just need a starting point. If that still feels daunting, my post on life story writing for seniors, even the non-writer might put your mind at ease.
Why one good question beats a blank page
The blank page is the hardest part. When you sit down to write it all down, the task can feel enormous. Do you start with your birth? Your parents? The year you turned twenty?
A single question makes it manageable. Instead of thinking about your whole life, you only need to think about one moment. When it comes to sharing memories with your grandchildren, one question at a time is all you need. One memory leads to another, and before long you’ve filled a page without noticing.
That’s the idea behind Stories Between Us. It’s a keepsake box of 52 conversation cards, each one a gentle question to bring a story to the surface. The cards are grouped into five themes:
- Beginnings
- Becoming
- Everyday Moments
- Belonging
- Wisdom & Legacy
There’s also a Getting Started Guide in the box, with simple instructions for choosing a card, having the conversation and capturing your answers.
Using the cards on your own
You can work through Stories Between Us quietly by yourself, as a set of writing prompts. Here’s an easy way to begin:
- Pick a card – Choose one at random, or start with a theme that appeals to you. Beginnings is a lovely place to start.
- Set aside 20 minutes – Make a cup of tea, find a comfy chair and set a timer if it helps. Twenty minutes a week is enough.
- Write, or talk – Jot your answer in a notebook. If writing isn’t your thing, record yourself answering on your phone. Spelling doesn’t matter. Your voice does.
- Put the card aside – Next week, pick another card.
With 52 cards, that’s a whole year of stories, and a wonderful head start on sharing memories with your grandchildren in a form they can keep. For tips on making it stick, here’s how to build a life story writing habit in 20 minutes a week.
Sharing memories with your grandchildren at Christmas
Christmas is often the one time of year when the whole family is under one roof. The grandchildren have come up from Sydney or Melbourne, the table is crowded and there’s that slow stretch of afternoon after lunch when nobody wants to move.
That’s the perfect time to bring out the cards. And here’s the lovely twist: let the grandchildren ask the questions.
Children love being in charge, and they’re naturally curious about “the olden days”. Hand the box to your eldest grandchild and let them read a card aloud. You answer, then perhaps your husband has a go, and before long your own children are adding memories you’d forgotten.
A few tips to make it easy:
- Keep it short. Two or three cards is plenty with younger children. You can always pick it up again tomorrow.
- Ask someone to record it. Teenagers are wonderful at this. Ask one of them to film or voice-record your answers on their phone, then send you a copy.
- Bring out a photo or two. If a card reminds you of an old photo, fetch it. Pictures help children imagine the story.
- Swap roles. Ask the grandchildren the same question. You’ll learn something about them, too.
Sharing memories with your grandchildren this way feels natural rather than formal. It’s simply a conversation, and the stories come out the way you’d tell them anyway.
One of our Founding Edition testers, Peter M, summed it up beautifully: “I always thought I knew my dad’s story. Turns out I only knew the parts he’d told before.” Your family may feel exactly the same about you.
Turning your stories into something they can keep
Once you’ve started, you may want to gather those stories into something more permanent. There are two gentle next steps:
- Keep going on your own with the Life Story Guided Journal or 199 Life Story Prompts.
- Rather talk than write? I can do the writing for you. My written-for-you service turns relaxed conversations into a professionally written keepsake book.
Whichever path you choose, sharing memories with your grandchildren gives them something precious: a picture of who you are beyond “Nan”. If you need a little more convincing, here are 5 reasons to share your life stories with loved ones.
Order your set before 10 November
Stories Between Us is a limited Founding Edition of 50 individually numbered sets, and it’s nearly sold out. Orders placed by 10 November will be posted within 48 hours to arrive before Christmas.
Ordering is simple. Visit the Stories Between Us page, add the set to your cart and follow the checkout steps. If you’d like a hand, or would prefer to order another way, send me a message through the contact page and I’ll help you.
A set also makes a thoughtful gift for the friend who’s always saying she’ll “write it down one day”.
Not quite ready to order? Download my free Story Starter Guide for a gentle first step.
Order Stories Between Us before 10 November
About the author
I’m Lyndall Guinery-Smith, founder of Life Story Collective. I’m a published author and award-winning copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience, and I’ve learned that the best stories rarely come from “real writers”. They come from people with a lifetime of memories and a good question to get them started. I created my prompts, guided journal and Stories Between Us cards to give you that starting point, at your own pace. And if you’d rather talk than write, I’m happy to do the writing for you. Read more about me.