Sharing

Generous? Or Stingy?
One of the first things we learn at home as toddlers is how to share. Little children are quite possessive with toys, clothes, food, etc., until they learn that they must share with others, which, for some is a hard lesson to learn. But, they eventually learn it.
So why is it that when children grow into adults, they begin to revert back to stingy practices again? "What's mine, is mine!" "Go get your own!"
Such was the case with my grandmother when she asked a niece for some information on her family line. The niece wouldn't release ANY information, and even said that she didn't have any records (which was untrue). Stingy!
Granted, a lot of time goes into researching, paying for, and entering birth/death records on official sheets for a book of remembrance or journal, but at the very least, a relative could be pointed in the same direction to get the same information.
My husbands' aunt spend countless hours and money researching, documenting, and compiling a huge book of remembrance for her family's line that went back as far as she could find information (which took years). When she was finally done, she offered the compiled book to her sisters for the cost of the book/pages/copies. What a great gift to offer her sisters. Of course, each one paid for a book and it remains a treasure to each, to be passed down through their children.
I had the opportunity to copy an entire book, complete with pictures, of a 1-1/2 inch thick book of remembrance for my sister-in-law. I scanned pictures, retyped passages, cut, pasted, and mailed to her this labor of love at my cost, so she would have the same information as I had. Even though it took a few months to complete, I felt happy that I could do it, and she was very grateful to receive it. I was thrilled that she saw the same value in this book that I saw, and I felt that it put us on common ground with regard to the excitement of learning about our ancestors.
However, sometimes, it can be hard to let go of the important information we've spent hard hours finding, so someone who hasn't lifted a finger to help, or who hasn't seemed interested, can take it and file it away, never to look at it again.
The point of doing genealogy, writing journals, and creating a history of our families is so that SOMEONE will appreciate it and we'll know we've done well for ourselves. Because, by and large, people don't really care much about their roots, or keeping tally of their experiences. Those who do, always recognize and cherish the value of a joural, and can appreciate the time and work that goes into such an endeavor as a compiling a book of remembrance.
Sharing goes a long way in building families stronger. Lesson for the day: Don't be stingy, BE GENEROUS!

This is a Journal?

At the risk of stating the OBVIOUS, a few ideas for journaling are:

BLOGS: Family or personal blogs are a great way to track your happenings, especially if you include pictures. Since the idea is to always back up your records, blogs are perfect for journaling. Just print out your blog and paste it in your journal notebook. You may have to adjust the chronological order, but it turns out great.

CALENDARS: Sheet calendars, pocket calendars, daily planners, anything that has your detailed schedule triggers memories that you can add to when writing a journal, or simply use it as is (depending on the size) and add more details.



A CHECKBOOK? The register is another great source for recalling memories. Use it as a bulleted outline for writing. For variety, cut out a page and paste it into your journal to remember those great times. Or even better, use the cancelled check from a memorable purchase: your first sofa in your apartment; the crib you bought for your first child; the check to the orthodontist for braces! Be creative!

Family History software

When filling out family records, it's great to have the same paper format throughout your records.
The FamilySearch.org website offers a Personal Ancestral File program that can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer to make keeping your familys' records easier. PAF, as it's called, allows you to record your information on forms which can be printed blank, with or without pictures, and you can view pedigree charts, family group sheets, individual records, and more.
Then, you can visit FamilySearch.org to search census indexes, and many other records, online to add to yours. Valuable resource!

Back to Basics - 2

And now for the Family Group Record.

The Family Group Record has more space for writing details, and is relatively simple to understand. If there are more than three children, copies can be made.

When a husband or wife has been married more than once, a number is added next to the name to indicate a previous marriage. A separate family group sheet is filled out for the previous marriage with any children born to the union, and is filed in printed form in a notebook behind the current marriage and family.