Guide· 5 min read
Prepare a grandparents interview — what to know before you ask
An interview with your grandparents is not a journalistic exercise. It is an encounter. Someone who prepares it well gets more out of 30 minutes of voice messages than others get from three hours of small talk.
First: clarify the setting
Ask your grandparents whether they actually want to take part. Explain openly what will happen with the recording. In Aile Hafızası, this happens automatically via the WhatsApp first contact — they give consent before anything is saved. But say it again face to face as well.
Start with concrete, not abstract questions
Tell me something about the old days is the worst question. What did the inside of your house look like? is the best. A concrete question opens a concrete image — and with it a concrete memory.
Allow silence
If your Nine says nothing for 20 seconds, do not push. That is usually the moment when she is formulating something difficult. Voice messages have no time pressure — pauses are not a mistake.
Follow the person, not the plan
If your question about the wedding gets answered with a story about an aunt nobody knows today — follow that aunt. Plan loosely, listen closely. The most valuable memories are never the ones you expect.
After the interview
- Listen to the voice message yourself once more
- Note 1 to 3 follow-up questions for next week
- Ask your parents whether they can add to what was told
- Connect the memory to a photo if one exists
Ready to capture your own family memory?
Three free questions — no credit card, no account password.