This journal deepens the grandfather/grandchild bond while creating a keepsake for when conversation is no longer possible.
With journaling questions for a grandfather to answer that include:
“If you could give your eighteen-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?”
“What are your favorite parts of being a grandfather?”
“If you could choose your last words to me, what would they be?”
These questions will transport you from the daily routine into a time when the ordinary has been rendered sacred.
Whether you're a grandfather looking to leave a legacy to your grandchild, or a grandchild recording memories of your grandpa, make time for the questions you’ll later wish you asked: your future self will thank you.
Commonly asked questions:
Who is this journal for?
The journal provides over 100 questions for a grandfather to answer for his grandchild. It makes a perfect gift for the first-time grandpa of a new baby, keepsake gift for an aging grandfather, and thoughtful present for grandparents of all stages in between. Some older grandchildren sit with their grandparents and fill out the journal while asking the questions: this invites thoughtful conversations, generational connection, and intimacy. Others choose to purchase the journal for themselves, fill it out, and later present it as a gift to their grandchildren.
This journal can be an especially thoughtful gift for a grandfather who has lost his spouse; these individuals often deeply recognize the importance of recording thoughts and memories for their grandchildren. This journal is also a thoughtful gift for adult children whose father may be struggling with early signs of memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s; asking these questions can jog a parent’s memory, inspire thoughtful conversation, or simply provide a space to appreciate the grandfather who still remains.
What if I have multiple grandchildren? Do I need multiple journals?
Most of the questions in this journal are about grandpa personally, but there are also questions particular to each grandchild. For this reason, most grandfathers choose to have one journal for each grandchild; this also eliminates the need to “choose” who eventually receives the journal. However, it’s also possible to answer these particular questions separately for each grandchild within one journal. (One could split an answer on the 6x9 journal page provided, and use the blank pages included at the end of the journal if more room is needed.)
The "Questions You'll Wish You Asked" journaling book series was born after a period of grief and loss for author Melissa Pennel. In the span of only a few years, Melissa lost her grandparents, unexpectedly lost her mother, and saw her only remaining elder succumb to dementia. She was left with so many questions about life, her family's past, and the deeper selves of her loved ones. As she navigated grief in the following years, she turned to a long-time tool of reflection, self-understanding, and healing: writing. After later getting a degree in psychology and being trained as a coach, Melissa realized the power of asking important questions, both of ourselves and loved ones. She began noting all the questions she wishes she'd asked her family, and all the answers she wanted to leave for her own daughters. Melissa has found journaling a means to understand ourselves, deepen relationships, and meet each other in the messy imperfection of human relationships. As Rumi said, "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Let these journals be your field. To find more of Melissa's work on how to live a full and authentic life, go to FollowYourFireCoaching.com.
