The Genealogist

How to get your Kids on the Hunt for Ancestors

There can be no better activity to do with your child than tracing your genealogy-after all, the connection from one generation to the next is what your research is about! Kids as young as 5 can start learning about their family history and many even surprise you with the help they provide or the new ideas they have. By working on the project together, you can teach your children about their ancestors and create a keepsake that can be passed on to them when they are older.

Begin with what you already know. The easiest way to get started is my filling out what researchers call family information sheets. These can be printed from the Internet and usually include full name, birth date, death date, parents, hometown, spouse, children, and other vital information. First, have your child help you fill one out about yourself, your spouse, and him or herself and any siblings. Make it a game-what does your child know? For example, can your child give you his or her sister’s birth date? Tell your child funny stories pertaining to the information, such as details about your wedding or what your hometown was like when you were growing up. Of course, not every child will be interested in hearing about this, so don’t make yours listen if he or she would rather be doing something else. However, many children will surprise you with their interest. Be prepared for lots of questions. Get your parents or other older family members involved as well if possible. Oral history is vital to genealogy, not so much for research purposes, but to ensure that your family history stays alive with each generation.

When your child gets a little older, you can take him or her to the library with you to do some research. Kids like finding out about their family crests and surname meanings, and learning to use a library is an important skill that kids should learn at a young age. As they mature, kids can accompany you on other field trips as well, such as to family plots in the cemetery, to the records department at your local courthouse, or to virtual destinations on the Internet to help you find your ancestors. By learning research skills, your child will develop an interest in genealogy that might last a lifetime. When your research is done, have your child help you put together a family tree or other family history project that can be passed on to them when they have a family of their own.

Our Weekly GenMates Update

Hope that your week has gone well? I know for us it’s been a little mad to put it mildly. As some of you will be aware my other half had a knee operation early in the week and I have been running back and too trying to look after them! Anyway things are slowly getting on the mend. So that is good news!

GenMates is continuing to grow at an amazing rate. We are seeing so many new members joining and taking advantage of the facilities on offer and it’s great to know that we are providing something that genealogists clearly want. We already have plans for a number of other sites in associated niches (areas of interest) so watch out for the news on those.

The events of the last week have delayed some of our activity but we are rapidly catching up! The Genealogy Audio Articles and The Scrapbooking Audio Articles are getting there and as someone said to me the other day they will be great to listen to on the colder winter nights. Talking of winter nights I don’t know about you but it doesn’t feel like autum yet does it! Well certainly not here in the Uk where the trees are still looking very green and leaf laden! Oh that reminds me the other thing I was asked about the Audio articles was whether the audio files will be available as MP3 downloads so that people can listen to them on the move. I am working on that at the moment and seeing how we can make them available at a nominal charge for the lot - so again watch out for news on that.

During the week I made a special offer available of The Genealogy Guide and literally dozens of people took advantage of the offer. It’s still available if you want to grab a copy for yourself and I will probably leave it available for just a couple more days at The Genealogy Guide.

We also received quit a few emails asking if we could make other offers such as that one and I am pleased to say we are doing at PK eBooks - Your eBook Store! The site specialises in home and hobby quality eBooks and you will find eBooks on Scrapbooking Ideas, Coin Collecting, Stamp Collecting, Amateur Photography and much more besides! Do take a look at the site as you will find a lot of eBooks and there is even a free download which I think you will find interesting!

So there you have it a very busy week! Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you over at GenMates or at one of our other Genealogy sites!

Streamline Your Genealogy Research

Computer software can make your family tree research a breeze, relatively speaking – pun intended, of course. Using family tree software allows the creation of online data bases to sort records; the storage of digital photos with other documents, scanning of old records, easy sharing with other researchers, and a world of information at your fingertips through the Internet.

When looking for appropriate genealogy software, look for easy to use features that seem intuitive. Many programs will allow matching of information from various online data bases. Some have features that check various name combinations that are similar and rate connections according to probability. These features are quite handy. It is also helpful if the program allows you to input data from other genealogy programs or data bases and spreadsheets like Microsoft Access and Excel.

The software you choose should be well organized and easy to read, displaying needed information on the screen in an easy to follow format. Many allow you to click on name tabs of a child or a parent and view the personal data, which can include the name of spouse, place and date of birth, marriage, death and of burial. Good software will also allow you to tie in other lineage information, such as adoption records, step children, biographies, descendant charts, and other information you will find helpful.Some deluxe software programs go a step further and offer extra features. These can include a county verifier for counties in the US, allowing the user to view all of the counties in a state with their founding dates to hunt for discrepancies. All genealogists who have tried to find a location in a county that has been dissolved or reorganized can appreciate this feature. Another nice added feature in some deluxe software is the ability to search for a location by various means: county, state, country, town, city or province.

Some software even has a potential problems report, this will highlight dates the genealogist should double check. Another nice feature is the reformatting of inconsistently formatted data bases to make sure that records match. And another deluxe feature is web site creation. Some programs will allow the user to make their own genealogy web sites without knowing HTML or other computer code. By creating web sites a user is able to share work easily with other genealogists without having to retype information, make photo copies or spend a bundle on postage. And think of the time that is saved.

Before personal computers became popular genealogists had to spend many hours in libraries and research centers. The tool of choice was the micro film reader. Photo copy machines received a workout. Handwritten notes were extensive, and subject to misinterpretation. Today’s computers, with good software and the internet provide a world of opportunity for the genealogist that would have seemed like magic only thirty years ago. Additionally the need to visit libraries in many cases is now no longer necessary. While there are times when information is still only available on microfilm, many libraries have converted their microfilm to digital format and have made it available online, allowing a person to do research from the comfort of their own home. Imagine doing your genealogy research in your pajamas, at 4 a.m. if that is the time you prefer. Good genealogy software makes it possible.

When looking at software, remember that most of the best companies have enough faith in their programs to offer a 30 day free trial period. You can try the software out, use it for a month and make sure that it truly fits your needs and desires. Then if you choose to buy, paying online with a credit card allows you to keep using the software permanently without having to reinstall. This is another improvement over the past, and certainly an improvement no one complains about.

Whether you use Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP, there are many good programs on the market for genealogists. And it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, intermediate or an expert. All researchers can benefit from good genealogy software, so give it a try and you’ll certainly be glad you did.