Ask first, then record

Ask permission before you record anyone, and say what the recording is for and who might hear it. Let them say no to the whole idea or to any single question. Stop recording whenever they ask, and keep the recording private unless they agree otherwise.

Questions about childhood

  • What did a school day look like for you, from breakfast to bedtime?
  • Which of your own grandparents do you remember, and what were they like?
  • What games did you play, and where did you play them?
  • What did your family eat on a special occasion?
  • Was there a neighbor or teacher everybody talked about? What were they like?
  • What were you afraid of as a child?

Questions about work, love and the wider world

  • What was your first job, and how did you get it?
  • How did you meet your partner, and what did you first think of them?
  • What could a week's pay buy when you were starting out?
  • Which big news event do you remember exactly where you were for?
  • Where have you lived, and which place felt most like home?
  • What changed most for you between your twenties and your forties?

Questions about family

  • What do you remember about the day my mom or dad was born?
  • Which family stories got told at every gathering?
  • Is there a recipe, saying or song that's been passed down? Where did it come from?
  • Who in the family do you think I'm most like, and why?
  • What was hard about raising a family back then?
  • Where did our family come from before you, as far back as you know?

Questions about what they've learned

  • What do you know now that you wish you'd known at my age?
  • What's a decision you're proud of?
  • What do you think younger people get wrong about getting older?
  • What would you like your great-grandchildren to know about you?
  • What made you laugh hardest in your life?

How to keep their stories in Dawn Light

Dawn Light is a journal made for one person talking into the phone, not an interview recorder. There are two honest ways to use it for family stories.

  • After the visit, tap the sun and retell the stories in your own words while you remember them, with names, places and years
  • Or, with their consent, hold the phone between you and let them tell a story, then tap Done
  • Leave Keep recordings on in Settings so their voice stays with the words
  • Add a photo of them, or of the object the story was about, to the same entry
  • Use Export everything in Settings to keep a copy with your family's records

Questions about recording family stories

Do I need permission to record my grandparents?

Always ask. It's the respectful thing to do, and in some places recording someone without their consent is against the law. Tell them what the recording is for and who will hear it.

What if my grandparent doesn't want to be recorded?

Then don't record them. Listen and enjoy the visit, and afterward record your own memory of what they told you as a journal entry.

How long should each conversation be?

Shorter than you think. A few questions per visit leave room for stories to wander, and you can pick up where you left off next time.

Can I use these questions with my parents?

Yes, most of them work for any older relative. For telling your own story, the life story prompts are written for you to answer.

Keep the stories you heard today

After a visit, tap the sun and tell their stories again while every detail is fresh. Dawn Light keeps your words with the date, and the recording too if you want it.

Get Dawn Light free

Unlimited entries, transcripts, search and iCloud sync. For iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Works with iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and watchOS 26 or later.