Let Mom choose a chapter
Ask which period of her life she would like you to know more about. It might be childhood, but it might also be a recent friendship or a project she has started. Follow her choice rather than assuming the most meaningful story must come from before you were born.
Resist filling in her answer
You may know a familiar family story well enough to interrupt it. Try asking what the event felt like to her at the time. If her account differs from yours, keep both perspectives rather than correcting every detail. Use the full list of questions for Mom for her parents, her childhood and what you were like as a child. If you’re planning a visit around a particular day, our Mother’s Day ideas include ways to record a story.