Learning Genealogy 2020 sounds like the right time to add another subject to the list of things to do “at-home”! It looks like 2020 will be the year to remember for sure now that the schools and just about everything else have closed due to the Coronavirus. My daughter lives in Iowa and has been homeschooling her children for years, being out of school for them means they go to school anyway!
So if you are wondering how do I get through another day – try getting some old pictures out and telling your children who these people are and what they might have been going through at a young age. Tell your children the stories that were passed down through the ages of the people in those pictures. Who was Aunt Coon? Where did Great-Uncle Bill live? Get the conversation going! If your children are lucky enough to still have grandparents or great-grandparents talk about your experience with them when you were young. Do you have a favorite pair of earrings or a special ring that has a story behind it? Share the story!
Did grandpa ever take you fishing? Do you have a picture of what you caught that day? What kind of bait did you use to catch that fish? Everyone has that “fish tale” that gets bigger and bigger every time you tell the story to people. Make it a daily assignment of learning about a relative each day.
Our lives are so busy regularly – now that we have the emergency brake on we can now take advantage of this time to build a family tree. There are free forms everywhere online, print one off and begin the early beginnings of Learning Genealogy 2020. The whole idea is to make it a family affair. As you start the process you will be surprised as to what you will begin to remember about your own childhood. Your children need to hear those stories whether good or bad.
Since we cannot go to grandmother’s house for awhile you can always call her up. Ask her to tell you about Great-Grandfather Willis, or what was the games she played when she was a little girl. Believe it or not, she will be so excited you asked. Or talk with your grandparents on the computer or other devices we have nowadays to communicate with them. It will help them as much as it will help you learn more about them.
I am thankful for my mother and all the stories she told me about our many relatives over the years. Some made me laugh and some made me cry but it was all information that helped me learn about the relative in that picture. In my book, it is a win-win of two different generations connecting. And who knows you just may see that spark that turns into a flame of Learning Genealogy 2020. My mother, Nancy Gertrude Brumley, got me started in 1983 with just one picture. It changed my life forever and created a learning experience that stills challenges me today.
Please feel free to share this post with family and friends. If you have questions or wish to add any new information please email me.
Brumley Family Branches 