Tag Archives: Family Stories

Dig Up a Family Story

Don’t tell me you don’t have a family story. I will pry one out of you in the blink of an eye! We all have a family and a personal set of stories, they are part of what makes us who we are. That family story may not be the 1950’s family image, family to you may be a gang of street friends who were there when you needed them. Family may be the people in your military unit. A family is a loose term for the people we are connected to. Some of the best relatives are not related!

Maybe your childhood included one of the cheek pinching Grandma’s with the strong cologne. Was your Grandfather the guy who could fix anything? Which Aunt spoiled you just a bit and you could see it irked your mother? This is the way to dig up a family story. Have you got one yet?

Now that you have a story what next?

  1. Dress the story

How did the character dress? If you were too little to remember, does someone have a photo? If not then how about a internet search for fashions from  those years. I love Pinterest for fashion based

searches.

2. What was  the conflict in the story?

Was it your Mom bothered that the Aunt bought you something more expensive than she did? Did that Grandfather hook you up with a not so safe mode of transport? Did your gang of friends dare you

into a stupid stunt?

3. Resolution

Not all stories fall into the “Happily Ever After” category, it’s OK! Even if an event will happen again, you can always say, “I’m wiser, until next time” Find a way to close your story, Don’t leave the

listener hanging.

Stupid Stunt: There are a lot of those stories, and I know a few. This post has prompted me to think of a story my Dad told. On Halloween night, one year of his youth, my Dad and his gang of friends stole the Mayors outhouse and put it in the middle of the town green. Now that  will be a fun story to construct.

OuthouseDid you come up with a story? Tell me a bit in the comments.

My blog is dedicated to family and historical family stories, If you would like to attend a workshop ( in Connecticut) I am hosting my workshop “My Roots are Showing; Collecting and Telling Family Stories”  March 20, 2016 1-5 the afternoon will be workshop followed by open mic here is the Facebook Event page:  https://www.facebook.com/events/942273462520816/  or for more info email me at carolyn@carolynstearnsstoryteller.com

Here are links to other blogs on family stories:

https://www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com/5-ways-to-preserve-family-stories/

https://www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com/what-does-your-family-sound-like/

Take Back Childhood

Can you count 10 moments in childhood that you remember as being near perfect? Here are some of mine. These memories have a new job…. #1) Lazy summer days, no agenda, just staying outside all day! #2) Ice Cream Cones – take it back tonight, go out for ice cream! #3) Swimming, the Beach or… Continue Reading

Fair Season, I Have The Story

Children grow up! One minute you are wrapped up in a whirlwind life filled with kids. The next minute you sit back and watch other people working with their kids, and it’s too quiet.          No time of year makes me realize that more, than fair season. We were one of those families who brought… Continue Reading

Family Recipes, 5 Questions for Family Stories

  Food and Family, the two can hardly be separated.  Family events and every day suppers hold lots of food memories and they are a good place to start collecting family stories too. Everyone has a food story to share! Are you ready to collect a family story? You can ask your kids your elders… Continue Reading

Revolutionary Family Stories

From “The British are coming , the British are coming”, to  “We the people”, the time of the American Revolution spun a great many family stories. Some of the names, faces and characters are well known from our history lessons. Many are unknown and buried in  a couple of centuries of dust.      To unearth… Continue Reading

Archaeology and Family Stories

  It was as if I entered a portal to time and crossed over to the American Revolution. Was this a table in the offices of Archaeological and Historical Services, Inc or my great, great, great, great- Grandmothers kitchen table?     http://www.ahs-inc.biz/mainpage.html   While researching a family story online I found an archaeological report… Continue Reading

The Patriot Gave Everything – Focus on Family Stories

Are you aware of the thousands who died for the cause of America, not in battles of our Revolution, but as prisoners of war held by the British under the most horrific of conditions. Their story is mostly forgotten, their lives given to the new nation undervalued by history, unserved by classroom text. The stories of… Continue Reading