although I think I'd ask somewhat different questions.
What were your biggest challenges when you were a kid?
What did you feel you did well as a kid?
Were there any potential(s) that you think you had but didn't have a chance to develop?
Did you ever have a mentor?
What were a few of the factors that influenced your choice of career?
Did you have any opportunity to learn about any subjects or to develop any skills just because you enjoyed them or were curious about them, even if they had no obvious practical application? What were they?
Was there anything or anyone else that had an important influence on you and that you haven't talked about much with me before?
Of the places you've lived for more than a short time, which was your favorite, and why? If you think you'd have been happier or more comfortable in another place, where would that be, or how would it be different?
Did you ever play any jokes or pranks on anyone (or have them played on you)? Can you tell me about any of the more memorable examples?
If you had one more siblings, did your relationship(s) with them evolve through the years?
Did you date a lot or have any serious relationships before your last mate?
What kind of mate were you looking for before finding your present one? Did your present one turn out to have good qualities that you hadn't looked for?
What was the most challenging thing for you about being married (if they were)? Was there anything you expected to be difficult but wasn't? What did you like most about it?
What kinds of things did you learn through marriage that you think you might not have learned otherwise?
What was the most challenging thing for you about having children (if they did)? Was there anything you expected to be difficult but wasn't? What did you like most about it?
What kinds of things did you learn through child-rearing that you might not have learned otherwise?
Were you ever involved in politics? If so, what was your most consuming or most successful involvement?
Given the opportunity, what else would you like to learn or do?
Are there things about your experiences of other people or yourself that you still feel puzzled about, and if so, can you share examples?
What else would you like those you care about to know about you or your history?
I tried to get my parents to talk about their pasts, but they were grimly tight-lipped. I once asked my dad how they did the laundry in the old days, and he glared at me with intense suspicion, as if I were trying to trick him into admitting a crime.
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