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 Genealogy Lens is Squidoo Lens of The Day!

Our Genealogy and Family History Lens over at Squidoo was featured as “Lens of The Day” during the week and we received some really positive feedback.

Together with our Scrapbooking Ideas, Hobbies and Planning for Christmas Lenses we have had so many visitors!

General Weekly Overview

Just a short update this week I am afraid as I am not feeling 100% at the moment! I developed earache towards the end of last week which seemed to pass and given that we were going away for the weekend didn’t think too much more of it. Big Mistake!

It has steadiily got worse over the weekend and this morning I found myself at an “Out of Hours” Doctor being prescribed some strong antibiotics for an inner ear infection. It’s very sore and my balance seems a little off at the moment and I am afraid that like many men (so I am told!) I am not a good patient.

If I am a little slow with coming back to anyone for the next few days please bear with me. I am hoping that it will not delay any of our plans for the next few weeks but am making some adjustments just in case.

I have a few other things planned for the next few weeks including a report on how you really can make a nice steady income from Adsense - notwithstanding some of the doubters that have been springing up of late. You will automatically get a free copy of the report if you are one of my subscribers.

GENEALOGY ARTICLE - Why the Apple Doesn’t Fall Far

If you’ve ever used the expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” you know that it’s a way of saying that a child’s tendencies have a lot to do with their parents. However, this simple phrase also may conjure thoughts of family trees. How far, exactly, has the apple fallen? A family tree is nothing more than a easy to read chart showing births and marriages in a family, but making one can help clear up your research, especially when you have family members with similar names. Create a family tree to make your genealogy quest go more smoothly.

It is probably easiest to start from the bottom and work your way back into history when you are drawing out a family tree or building one online. Begin with yourself and your children and grandchildren if you have them. Lines to show marriage connect couples, and the children resulting from this marriage are usually shown by drawing a line down from the center of the marriage line. Remember to leave enough space for everyone-draw your lines longer than you think they need to be if you are doing it by hand.

Continue to work your way back through the generations. A family tree can be as detailed or simple as you need it to be, so you can include not only names, but marriage dates, birth and death dates, places of burial, and other information if you wish. Some people even include pictures on their family tree when available. This can make a nice display, especially at a family reunion or anniversary.

If you seriously need to sort through your information, however, it might be more beneficial to invest in a computer program or web service that will make a family tree based on the information you input. This will be more neatly organized than one drawn by hand. Many companies manufacture computer software to help you with this task, but this can be pricey, so read product reviews before making a purchase to ensure you get the tools you need.

When your family tree is filled with the information you have gathered, you will be able to easily see the gaps in your research that need to be filled. You may also see new connections between family members that you did not realize before. A family tree is a great tool when you begin in depth research to help you stay focused and organized.

FINALLY - ON A LIGHTER NOTE

Let me finish this short update with a note about Father Christmas! No it’s not me - honest! However, those of you who were with me last year may remember Santa’s Advice Blog. It was originally started for the parents at the various schools that my partner is responsible for but soon developed a much wider readership. Well santa has become all grown up this year and has now got his own fully fledged website! You can take a look by clicking on The Father Christmas Blog - do enjoy!