Do not interview them. Start a conversation.
The best family history often arrives sideways: a remembered smell, a journey, a nickname, the house everyone gathered in. Pick one gentle question and let them wander.
Where did you grow up?
What did the house look like? Who lived nearby? Where did everyone sit?
Who in the family made you laugh?
What did they do or say that you still remember?
What did your parents tell you about their parents?
This can carry a story back two more generations in a single conversation.
What family story does everyone tell differently?
Different versions are valuable. Preserve them as recollections, not forced facts.
Who should the younger ones know about?
Ask why. The answer is often more important than the dates.
One voice can carry a whole room back.
With permission, record a story on the phone or computer. Recordings can be kept private, shared with family, or preserved for wider access according to the contributor’s wishes.
Good practice
Ask permission first. Avoid pressuring anyone to discuss painful or private events. Let the contributor choose whether something is public, family-only or private to approved archive stewards.