Family History Month ~ What Stories Do You Have to Share?

Everyone has a story to tell ✍...past, present and future.

We have stories to share with our children, our families and our communities.

And that is what Family History Month is all about this year...sharing our stories, discovering more about our parent's and grandparent's lives.

(AZquotes.com)

Even the little things that you might not think about are big things in the eyes of our children. Talking to a child in 2020 about your phone, and they can only picture a smartphone that can fit in your pocket. But, if three different generations of family were to compare phones...that would be a very enlightening coversation for your child. 📞🖁📱

Benefits of Sharing Our Stories

In addition to the wonderful experience of bonding closer with our families and friends, sharing our stories provides many benefits. It helps us to see our family members as people in their own rights, with their own experiences and perspectives on life. The more people connect and learn to value each other, the better they treat people as a whole. 

                                         (Getty Images)

According to Robyn Fivush, director of the Family Narratives Lab in Emory’s Department of Psychology, "In times of great stress, stories sustain us. Family reminiscing is especially important.~  When children learn family stories it creates a shared history, strengthens emotional bonds and helps them make sense of their experiences when something senseless happens — like the current global pandemic. “When we don’t know what to do, we look for stories about how people have coped in the past,” Fivush says. “You can see that happening in the media now, in articles comparing today to historical events, like the 1918 flu pandemic and 9/11.”

Family History Month @ Linton Public Library

Throughout the whole month of October, I will share a post on Facebook and/or Instagram that will encourage you to share your stories, or to learn more about the stories of your ancestors. These posts may be story starters to spark conversations with your family. They may be questions about your family history that get your thinking about the answers.

Although I am not sure yet what every post on Facebook and Instagram have in store, the very first post will have a Bingo card full of family history activities. This Family History Bingo will provide 25 opportunities to learn more about your family history, preserve your family history for future generations, or to share your stories with others.

Watch for the full Family History
Bingo card on FB and IG!!

Let's get the conversations started! In October, let's learn more about our family history and each other. Let us end the month of October with a better understanding of our families ~ and the stories of our families from throughout the generations.

Don't forget to follow Linton Public Library on Facebook or Instagram!