25 questions you should ask your grandparents

Whether your relationship with your grandparents is akin to that of a third parent or it more so resembles a once-a-year awkward hug and dinner, through either direct or unintended ways, your grandparents have been major forces in shaping the person you have become.

Whatever your relationship with your grandparents looks like, you should take advantage of dipping into their memories and wealth of knowledge while you still can.

Whether you use these questions as conversation ice breakers or inspiration for your next heart-to-heart, try asking your grandparents these 25 questions to get to know the people who made you who you are.

1. What city and year were you born in?
2. What’s your first childhood memory?
3. What has been your favorite age and why?
4. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken? Did it pay off?
5. What day in history do you vividly remember? What were you doing?

6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Have you followed it?

7. Are you happy with how you’ve lived your life? Would you have changed anything?

8. Do you think your personality is different today than when you were young? If yes, what’s changed?

9. If you could go back and relive one year of your life, which year would you choose and why?

10. What’s one job you wish you could have tried?

11. Is retirement what you thought it would be? Why or why not?

12. What was the most rewarding part of your career?

13. Have you ever met a famous person? Who was it and where did you meet them?

14. What book has made the biggest impact on your life and why?

15. How many times have you been in love? What happened to them?

16. What do you remember most about your own parents and grandparents?

17. What’s the biggest difference between being a parent and a grandparent? Do you prefer one experience over the other?

18. Do you think your life would have been different if today’s technologies were around when you were a teenager? Why or why not?

19. What do you remember most about your wedding day?

20. Do you think the world has changed for better or worse in your lifetime?

21. Have you ever saved anyone’s life? Has anyone ever saved yours? What happened?

22. What’s the biggest adventure you’ve ever taken?

23. Who is your oldest friend? What do you think is the secret to a lasting friendship?

24. What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to you?

25. What have been the most rewarding moments of your life?