25 questions to ask your mom
about her life.
You do not need a formal interview. Start with one question, give her time to answer, and follow the details that surprise you.
Free to read. No email or purchase needed.Childhood
- What did your childhood home sound like in the morning?
- Where did you go when you wanted a little time to yourself?
- What was something your family made instead of buying?
Family
- Which relative did you look forward to seeing, and why?
- What is a saying from your family that you still use?
Friendship
- Who could always make you laugh when you were young?
- What did you and your friends do with a whole afternoon to yourselves?
- Is there a friend you lost touch with whose kindness you remember?
Work
- What did you want to be when you were eighteen?
- What was a skill you learned at work that surprised you?
- When did you feel proud of doing something well, even if nobody noticed?
Love
- What did the people you loved teach you about showing up for someone?
- What small gesture has stayed with you over the years?
Parenthood
- What surprised you about becoming a parent?
- What is a family moment you remember differently from the rest of us?
- What part of yourself did you try to make room for while raising a family?
Traditions
- What family tradition meant more to you than everyone else realized?
- Which recipe would you like someone in the family to learn, and whose story goes with it?
Turning points
- When did you change your mind about something important?
- What place helped you feel at home during a time of change?
Lessons
- What advice did you set aside and later come to appreciate?
- What is something you understand now that you wish you had understood sooner?
Small memories
- What song takes you back to a particular room or person?
- What ordinary outing from years ago can you still picture clearly?
- What would you like us to know that we have never thought to ask?
One answer can become
a story worth keeping.
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