Genealogy Project With Your Tween
Source: Tween Parent Staff
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One of the many delightful aspects of the tween years is that children are ready to reach beyond their own lives and gain an understanding of the world around them. A wonderful bridge for helping pre-teens make that transition is working together to develop a documented family history. Focusing on their family lineage illustrates that they are a piece of a bigger picture. It also enables them to learn more about themselves, their extended family and their heritage. In undertaking a genealogy project, as a bonus, tweens can become closer to relatives that share stories as they learn more about their family's origins. And, it's a fun project for both you and your tween to work on together.
Fortunately, there is an abundance of information available from some obvious and less obvious sources. Courtesy of the internet, many of the genealogy databases are only a click away! Prior to embarking on a path of online research, however, there are a few steps that can be taken to get the ball rolling.
1. Find an appealing chart that can be used to fill in data as it's discovered. Think through how detailed you and your tween want it to be. For example, at the most basic level, you'll want to include names, birth dates and death dates. But, do you also want to record information about those you and your tween discover, such as where they came from, places they lived, immigration data, profession, special circumstances, etc.? There are many sources of genealogy charts; do a search online for one that fits your needs or visit: Family Tree Charts at Genealogy Today, which has many visually interesting charts to choose from.
2. Collect family memories from immediate family members. You might consider recording conversations to keep along with your written findings. Look around for pictures at home (which may have names and dates on the back) and ask relatives to do the same. Also, ask around the family to see if anyone has begun the genealogy process in the past and use that data as a platform for your exploration. Be sure to write down as much detail as possible and document your sources, so that you can go back to the source if you need more information or you want to confirm your findings.
3. Plan your next phase of research. For example, you and your tween need to decide which family branch to begin with: Mother's maternal, Mother's paternal, Father's maternal, Father's paternal. While you can choose to complete them all, it might be easier to start down one branch before going off in multiple directions.
4. Conduct a simple online search to get familiar with the free and fee-based databases. After a few minutes of exploration, you'll begin to see which avenues are appropriate for the information you're seeking.
5. Get your tween involved and develop an actionable plan together! Consider an unveiling, where you can share your findings with your family!
Online resources for creating your family tree:
10 Steps for Finding Your Family Tree Online
Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Family Information
Books to consider for reference in creating your family tree:
Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People, by Susan Provost Beller
The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy, by Kimberly Powell
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, by Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls