November 19 2018

A counselor ed class of Penn State graduate students recently spent a couple of hours asking one another meaningful questions such as: What is something very few people know about you? Did your heritage play a role in your upbringing, and if so, how? Is there a particular event that drew your family closer together?

The class professor texted me to let me know how much fun the students were having.

An extended family gathered around their dining room table - a rare occurrence in their busy lives - and shared their Thanksgiving meal together. While relaxing at the table between the main course and dessert, they asked each other thought-provoking questions. What hobby or activity makes you lose track of time? Who was your favorite teacher and what do you remember about him/her? As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?

From the children to the grandparents, everyone had a good time.

The mother of a newly blended family brought up various topics at family meals to encourage discussion. Subjects such as: Describe the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done. What made you laugh so hard you cried? What does your perfect day look like?

It was happy family bonding time.

And what was present in each of these scenarios? The Have the Talk of a Lifetime deck of cards – 50 questions that will help you learn more about your loved ones. To find out where you can get your own deck of cards, visit our Time for Family, Time for Talk page.

(Adapted from the article first printed in the Gazette’s “Mature Lifestyles” section November 1 -7, 2018)