Self-Discovery, Experiences, and Storytelling
Growing up in today’s world can present some real challenges for young people with all the distractions and technology pulling them in different directions.
It may be beneficial and assist in positive personality development for children to learn more about the roots of their identity. Learning about the experiences of parents, grandparents, and relatives can help a child learn more about their heritage and history of their family.
Heritage Collector makes it possible for everyone to share stories and experiences using the latest technology.
The following suggestions, activities, and tutorials will help guide children along a positive path of personal discovery while strengthening the bonds with family members and relatives.
The Excitement of Making Discoveries & Associations
Opening an old trunk may reveal mysteries in the form of photos, a family bible, journals, diaries, passports, maps, love letters, silent movies and more.
Many of these items are answers looking for a question:
- Who are the people in the photos?
- Are the names listed in the bible your relatives?
- Why did grandma keep a diary?
- Who wrote the love letters and who were they addressed to?
- What countries did your relative visit and why?
- Who owned and took the pictures in the photo albums?
Gaining answers to these questions may provide some great hints and answers to who your relatives were, where they lived, what they did to earn a living, how many children they had, and how there are related to you. You may even learn what your family name means.
Heritage Collector makes it possible to organize, identify, and share these family treasures with everyone. Best of all, you can scan everything in the trunk and add the photos to your collections while you are researching, identifying, and learning about the relationships of everything in the trunk.
Personalized Greeting Cards
Several times each year you have a chance to make someone feel special by creating personalize cards with names, photos, and special greeting or message.
- Birthday
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- New Years
- Valentine’s Day
Holiday
Birthday
Talking / Singing
Special Occasion
Storybook and Calendars
Personalized Calendars
- Create beautiful page tops
- Add birth dates with photo thumbnails
- Add graphic to page bottoms
- Save money by printing yourself
- Select a professional printer for 12 x 12 calendars
12 x 12 Calendar
8 1/2 x 11 Two Sided
Family Reunion
Talking Calendar
Interactivity – See, Hear, and Learn in New Ways
Interactivity
Unique Ways to Interact With:
- Photos,
- Cards
- Smartphone
- Home Theater
Pictures
Greeting Cards
Smartphones
Home Theater
The following information is still in DRAFT mode, being visualized (dream state), and formatted. It will change soon. I’m trying to demonstrate some ways how to make family information more interesting and captivating to children and teenagers.
Who Am I?
Some may say you look like your grandpa or grandma. Others might suggest you have your mom’s eyes or your dad’s nose. Where did those big feet come from? Why do you have nice, long fingers that would be great for playing the piano? You might share some talents or occupational interests of your parents or relatives.
The answer to some of these questions may come from learning more about your ancestors and relatives.
The My Story Navigator can help guide you, your children, and grandchildren through this process of self-discover.
Birthdays
Every parent and grandparent spends a lot of time sorting through many commercial cards trying to find the perfect birthday card. What makes the card you create for them special?
- The card was made by YOU!
- Unique picture of them on the card.
- A personalized note specially about them.
Holidays
Every parent and grandparent spend a lot of time sorting through many commercial cards trying to find the perfect birthday card.
- Christmas
- New Years
- Easter
- Valentines Day
- National Holidays – July 4th etc.
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
Personalized Storybook Pages
Every parent and grandparent spend a lot of time sorting through many commercial cards trying to find the perfect birthday card.
- What makes the card you give them special?
- The card was made by YOU!
- Unique picture of them on the card.
- A personalized note specially about them.
Self-Discovery and Experiences
Growing up in today’s world can present some real challenges for young people. Each of us need to develop a personality and discover our identity. Learning from the experiences of parents, grandparents, and relatives can help a child get more of an idea of what they would like to become as they grow up.
Recording and sharing their experiences using the latest technology available through Heritage Collector can be very helpful.
This tutorial is designed to give you suggestions and activities that will help guide children along a positive path of personal discovery and while strengthening the bonds with family members and relatives.
Click here for more information about the acquiring the Personal Story Navigator.
Family Calendars
Every parent and grandparent spend a lot of time sorting through many commercial cards trying to find the perfect birthday card.
- What makes the card you give them special?
- The card was made by YOU!
- Unique picture of them on the card.
- A personalized note specially about them.
Sharing Family History
Children can not ask questions about events they know nothing about. However, they are very interested in their family history if they have a chance to learn.
- Courtship of patents and grandparents.
- Individual personal histories and biographies.
- Unique events and experiences.
- Bucket Lists
Slide Shows
Children can not ask questions about events they know nothing about. However, they are very interested in their family history if they have a chance to learn.
- Talking Storybooks and calendars.
- Interactive photo wall.
- Narrated Stories and Slide Shows.
- Talking photos.
Interactive Stories
Children can not ask questions about events they know nothing about. However, they are very interested in their family history if they have a chance to learn.
- Talking Storybooks and calendars.
- Interactive photo wall.
- Narrated Stories and Slide Shows.
- Talking photos.
Day Trips, Vacations, and Experiences
Memories and special experiences can occur randomly and without notice. These events and experiences need to be preserved and shared.
- Family Vacation.
- Reunion.
- Marriage.
- Funeral.
Old Home Movies, VHS Tapes, and New Videos
Children can not ask questions about events they know nothing about. However, they are very interested in their family history if they have a chance to learn.
- Talking Storybooks and calendars.
- Interactive photo wall.
- Narrated Stories and Slide Shows.
- Talking photos.
Some Thoughts About Adoption
As I was going up, for many years I thought I was adopted because I felt somewhat different from my family. As I grew older I finally realized I was not adopted. As the years have passed I have thought about adoption and wondered how other might feel who are adopted.
I’ve come to realize that parents who choose to adopt voluntarily take upon the responsibility of parenthood do so with a desire to teach, and share their lives, and experiences with children. The decision is not something they take lightly and often consider the option for many years. It’s also expensive to adopt children, requires preparationand an unconditional commitment.
The child’s perspective may be a little different and require some adjustment and acceptance. How will they fit in? How can they feel “related” not being the natural children of their parent’s. What will others think?
As a grandparent, I see an adoptive relationship from a different perspective. I can see why my own children and grandchildren love me not because of who I am but because of what I am. They feel endeared to me because I feel and express that same attitude of love, sharing, and respect toward them.
Sharing and how does that work? It’s fun for a grandparent to share their life experiences and stories with their children and grandchildren – and they love hearing the stories – even more than once! They slowly become imprinted with the family stories, traditions, and values. Just as a son or daughter-in-law start to feel a part of a new family, they also become adopted.
So why and I offering these observations? Because we are all become adopted into more than one family. As we share experiences, swap stores around a campfire, and listen to others ,we become a part of their lives. Our stories, values and experiences help shape the lives and personalities of others.
