Family Timeline Creation Worksheet

Instructions:

1. Draw a long horizontal line across your page—this is your timeline.
2. Identify 5–7 key events in your family’s history (e.g., births, moves, traditions, challenges).
3. For each event, complete the table below with a date, a brief description, and draw a small icon that represents it.
4. Plot each numbered event on your timeline above in chronological order.

Draw Your Family Timeline

Use the space below to lay out your numbered events along the horizontal line. Add colors or sticky-note symbols for traditions or turning points as you like.

When you’re finished, get ready to share your highlights in your small group.

Sharing Circles

Objective:
Provide a safe space for parents to share their family timelines, practice reflective listening, and build empathy within small groups.

Group Size: 3–4 participants per circle

Guidelines:

1. Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here.
2. Speak from the “I”: Share your own experiences and feelings.
3. Active Listening: Maintain eye contact, nod, and refrain from interrupting.
4. Reflective Responses: Paraphrase or ask open-ended questions to show understanding.
5. Respect Time: Keep to allotted times so everyone has a turn.

Process:

• Form groups of 3–4 and assign roles for Round 1:
  • Speaker: Shares their timeline highlights.
  • Listener A: Practices active listening (nonverbal cues).
  • Listener B: Practices reflective listening by asking questions.
• Round 1 (5 minutes per person):
  • Speaker presents their timeline.
  • Listener A listens without speaking.
  • Listener B asks supportive, open-ended questions (see prompts).
• After each share, rotate roles clockwise so everyone has a turn as Speaker.

Listening & Question Prompts:

• “I noticed when you mentioned ___, how did that feel for you?”
• “Can you tell me more about why this event stood out?”
• “What did sharing this experience teach you about your family?”
• “Were there any surprises or new patterns you noticed?”

Closing Debrief (5 minutes):

• Invite each group to share one insight or surprising connection they discovered.
• Highlight common themes or emotions across timelines.
• Reflect on how listening to each other has deepened empathy within the group.

Reflections on Roots

Now that you’ve mapped your family story and shared with others, use these prompts to deepen your understanding and plan your next steps. There are no right or wrong answers—write honestly and in complete sentences.

1. After sharing your timeline in the Sharing Circles, what new insights did you gain about your family’s journey? Describe one moment that surprised you and why it stood out.

2. How has listening to others’ stories influenced your sense of empathy and connection? Provide specific examples from today’s discussion.

3. Identify a family tradition or value that has shaped who you are. How might you nurture, adapt, or pass this tradition on to future generations?

4. Reflect on a challenge or turning point in your family’s history that you understand differently after this activity. How has this new perspective influenced the way you view your own role in the family narrative?

5. Considering the insights you’ve gathered, what concrete steps will you take to support your child’s identity and emotional growth through sharing your family story?

When you have finished writing, feel free to revisit any prompt or discuss your reflections with a fellow participant.