| The importance of family legacy can never be | | | | to understand what your family went through and |
| over emphasized. Do your children know their | | | | why they suffered. Did they live during the |
| heritage? Who are your ancestors? What were | | | | depression, and if so, how did it affect them? |
| their traditions? What religion were they? What | | | | After writing down all you collected, then organize |
| beliefs did they have? Did they fight for a cause | | | | it into a story. You can make several short |
| and what was it about? | | | | stories, making the history into segments. Or you |
| Each of us has a story from our ancestors or | | | | can write the whole history as a continuous flow. |
| even our very own story to tell. If these stories | | | | There are a few things to carefully avoid in |
| are unwritten, then how are your children going to | | | | writing. Also, there are always exceptions to |
| know of their ancestry, of their parentage, or | | | | every rule. Remember that it's best to feel the |
| even family traditions of the past? Are these | | | | "spirit of the law" rather than the "letter of the |
| stories and traditions going to be lost to your | | | | law." |
| children simply because you failed to put them on | | | | AVOID: |
| paper? It's up to us to write these experiences | | | | 1. Opening a story with weather |
| down. | | | | 2. Using a verb other than "said" for dialogue |
| You can turn your family history into a variety of | | | | unless needed such as: "shouted," "whispered," or |
| interesting stories. Remember, conflict is part of | | | | "whimpered" |
| our lives and makes for an interesting story. Don't | | | | 3. Using too many adverbs - Show! Don't tell! |
| leave out what your ancestors suffered and for | | | | 4. Using detailed descriptions of people, places, and |
| what cause. You want your children to be proud | | | | things-you don't want to lose the reader |
| of who they are. We must share these stories | | | | Happy writing and if you need any help just e-mail |
| with them. | | | | me and I'll give suggestions if I can. Your children |
| First, collect your thoughts; write down any | | | | will be grateful once they're grown. They'll want to |
| experiences that you remember. Talk to family | | | | know their heritage, what their ancestors stood |
| members and discuss memories. Do research of | | | | for, what they believed in. Make your family |
| that time period and find out what the country | | | | legacy something your children will remember, |
| was going through, and insert it in the history of | | | | something they will be proud of. |
| your ancestor. The turmoil of a country helps you | | | | |