An archive idea!

I heard about a fabulous idea the other day as a keepsake for our children. It was based on the 7-Up series that the BBC started in the 60s (where they interviewed the same children at the age of 7, then 14, 21, 28, 35, 42... and I think they are close to interviewing them now at 49), but this is an annual thing.

As your child reaches the age of three, devise a series of questions that you will ask them every year around their birthday. You could call it 'Jacob's Twenty Questions.' The questions would be things like, what's your favourite colour, what's your favourite food, what's your favourite car, what are you going to be when you grow up, who's your best friend, what's your favourite toy, what's your favourite thing to do, what's your favourite movie, what's your favourite song... anything that gives you a glimpse into their eyes every year as they grow, and it's something that you can see evolve as they grow older.

I experimented with my almost 11 year old son today while we were waiting at the doctor's surgery. He is becoming quite the comical jester with a few 'smart' answers in his older years. Most of it is him coming out with his personality and happiness, some of it is the start of those wonderful teen years that we all dread.

Q: What's your favourite colour?
A: I can't decide if it's blue or green, so I will say turquoise.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: An inventor.

Q: What's your favourite food?'
A: Steak.

Q: What's your favourite song?
A: Make it Bun Dem by Skrillax

At this point, I'm like 'Who?' I all of a sudden felt like my mother. I am very much 'in the know' of what's trendy on the music scene, but this was something I had never heard. Where did he hear it from? As it's not on the radio in the car, or something we've downloaded from iTunes? Could school be promoting these 'controversial' songs? I have no idea.. I did proceed to ask him where he heard it from, just as the doctor announced it was his time to have his appointment.... aaarrrrrgggghhhhh!

Anyway, for new mums or even those who still feel like there could be quite the difference over the next 5, 10 or 15 years of their child's life to start this tradition, it would be rather a nice keepsake to hand to them on their 21st birthday, but at the same time, it is a really nice way to get to know your children, how they develop and see how they tastes change.