Write a Memoir and Include Childhood Memories of Family and Friends

Document family history

Where were you born? (town, state, country)
Where did you grow up?
Describe the first home you remember, the landscape, your neighborhood or the rural area where you grew up.
What was it like?
How many people lived in your childhood hometown or city?
How was your home different from today’s homes?
What is your earliest memory?
What were your parents like? Describe your natural parents, stepparents, adoptive parents or foster parents.
How was your relationship with your parents?

How did your parents feel about your being a girl/boy?
Did you get into trouble? What was the worst thing you did?
How many sisters or brothers did you have? Were they older or younger than you? How did you get along with each other? What were they like growing up?
Were boys and girls treated differently in your family? How?
What did you look like?
How would you describe yourself as a child? Were you happy?
What is your best memory of childhood? Worst?
How would you describe a perfect day when you were young?
Did you have a nickname? How did you get it?
Who were your best friends? What were they like?
When did you first realize that boys and girls were different?
Describe your relationship with your peers during your teenage years. How did you feel about yourself during this time? How were you treated by others your age? By adults?
Who influenced you as a child? Parents? Grandparents or other relatives? Teacher? Religious figure? A neighbor?
When did you first begin to develop romantic attachments to others?
What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
What kind of life partner did you envision? How did you envision yourself as a partner?
Do you recall any special incidents that had a significant impact on you as a child? (an accident, hospitalization, birth of a younger sibling, moving, best friend moving away, divorce, death, family violence, a school project, etc.)