Tell Your Children Stories About the Life You Had Before You Were a Parent

Going through old photos with my daughter recently, I was surprised by her comment:

“I never thought of you and Daddy having a life before me and you each having a life before you knew each other.”

She looked at me as if I were a complete stranger.  “You had fun before I was born?” she asked.

This is an interesting concept I am sure many children come to realize when they are teenagers. The best way to share your history is with photos. They make our past lives more real, more understandable. It made me think about the lives of my parents before I was born. I’d heard stories about their friends and travels, but there were not many photos from their pre-parent lives. I found myself wishing I had asked more detailed questions and heard more of their stories before they passed away.

My daughter and I had a great time going through my photos from childhood as I shared tales about my adventures and other family members she never had a chance to meet.  It was a great way to spend part of a rainy day. I encourage you to do the same with your kids – when they are old enough to listen.

Me at age 4 (on the left) and my sister, Shelley, at my Aunt’s wedding in Montreal.

Our shoes were spray painted aqua to match our dresses and the paint peeled off in chunks as we walked down the aisle, leaving an aqua trail. That’s our Mom in the back of us watching to make sure we were not walking too fast.

I remember needing to sit down as soon as I reached the altar. I was worn out from the short walk down the aisle. I remember that day so well, as if it were just a few years ago.

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