Invite one memory
Ask a relative about one remembered game or place rather than requesting their entire life story. Leave room for your child to listen, point to a picture or ask a different question. A remembered detail need not be treated as a verified historical fact. The conversation does not have to become a test or a complete record of the family to be worthwhile.
Ask before recording
Ask before making audio, video or written notes, and explain whether a record stays within the family or might be shared elsewhere. Move on if someone does not want to discuss a topic. Shorten the conversation when your child loses interest. You do not need to complete a prepared list of questions, and a person can choose to leave a memory unrecorded.
Your next little step
Choose one idea that suits your family and try it at your own pace. Every family has different needs.
An example in practice
You might ask about a favourite childhood game and then notice a resemblance to a game played today. Keep a quotation out of a public album description unless the person who shared it has agreed to that use.