There are many hurtles that prevent people from learning about their family history. They might be really busy, not have the education to know where to begin or a million other reasons why, but kids? Well, their only stumbling block is us as their parents!
What child doesn’t love sitting on their parents lap and having them read them a story. Now, try telling them an interesting story about an ancestor and tell them they share the same blood. They will be swept away in awe and wonder as they contemplate on how they are related to that storybook hero.
As we bring the stories of our ancestors to the hearts of our children, they will feel a connection that surpasses time. I remember as a young child, hearing the stories of my grandmother as she talked about her parents and what it was like to live before there were automobiles as we know it today.
I was also raised hearing the stories of my great Uncle who was a war hero during the Korean War and gave his life to save so many others. He was the first Hawaiian to receive the Medal of Honor. It made me feel very proud as a young child to know I had a war hero in my family that gave the ultimate sacrifice. I recently created this video about his life. To read the behind-the-scenes regarding this project, go here.
Some of our favorite memories as a family while living in Pennsylvania was when we would visit cemeteries. We would love to go “hunting” on Sundays to a near by cemetery to see if we could find any relatives. It was a great way to teach the importance of “why” family history is so important to us and hopefully share that same enthusiasm with them. Here is a scrapbook layout of one of those adventures with our kids.
As we come to understand the stories of our ancestors as children, we will have a desire to be more like them. I always wanted to be brave like my Uncle and courageous. It has helped me to learn how to overcome trials and adversities because he was so willing to be courageous. I know that as I teach my children the importance of family history and where they came from, it helps them find a sense of belonging.
In order to help my children learn more about their ancestors, I put together a binder for each of my kids. Inside there are worksheets where they can learn more about their ancestor. I’d love for you try and see if it doesn’t help your own children learn the stories of their ancestors and begin their own family history journey!
