21 Questions to ask your Parents (while they are still here)

by
Jairek Robbins
with context by
Larry Pearce
9/4/20

Jairek Robbins

This Congressional Award-Gold Medal winner, best-selling author, and performance coach had this to say in introducing the list of questions you might ask your parents before they pass:

Despite my parents only being in their 50’s, they have been faced with some major health scares. After reaching out and asking on social media how they’d spend those last days or years (hopefully longer) with loved ones, one idea that came through was making a video with them asking them about their life, about love, about challenges, their victories and lastly how they wanted to be remembered.

So here are some questions we’ve pulled together that made quite a fun, meaningful and memorable interview with our parents. We hope you enjoy them and take some time to interview your parents to capture their spirit while we still have them with us.

Life is precious, let’s make the most of it!

So get a steno pad, or better yet use the record mode on your cell phone, and start a conversation with your parents using these questions he suggests:

1. What do you remember most about your mom and dad?
2. If grandma and grandpa had a message for you and their grandchildren, what do you think it would be?
3. How did you choose your career and what was your favorite part about it?
4. What made you successful at work?
5. What’s your wow factor (what makes you uniquely you) and what are the moments that helped shape it?
6. What’s a moment that made you feel incredibly humble?
7. What’s your greatest fear?
8. What an awe-inspiring moment?
9. Which 3 events most shaped your life?
10.What do you remember about when each of us was born?
11.Were you ever scared to be a parent?
12.What 3 words represented your approach to parenting and why?
13.What message do you have for [spouse] that you want her/him to always keep in mind?
14.Which 3 words best describe how you want to be remembered?
15.What do you think the world needs more of right now?
16.What do you believe people want the most in life?
17.What were the 3 best decisions you ever made?
18.What are you most proud of in life?
19.What were 5 of the most positive moments of your life?
20.What message would you like to share with your family?
21.What are you most thankful for?

When you’re done, you might transcribe the results as I did after I interviewed my dad for this site before he passed. If we’re related, please send me what you have to LRYPEARCE@GMAIL.COM . Perhaps I can post these wonderful memories under your ancestry surname.

Last revised 3/24/22

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