Document the teenage years too

Cris’s Story

When Cris asked me to capture her family’s story I was so excited because she’s such a vibrant, lovely woman that I knew it was going to be wonderful to work together. There was just one thing that made me a tad bit nervous: she has teenagers. In my own household I’m used to the baby, toddler, and kindergarten stages. Generally all I’ve heard about the teen years is that they want nothing to do with hanging out with their parents and they are constantly on their phones. I was really curious how this would go.

As soon as I stepped foot into the house and felt the energy of this family I knew that I had nothing to worry about. Teens are not all that different, and certainly nothing to be scared of. Yes, they were on their phones sometimes because that’s their normal life. They spent most of their time just hanging out, being silly, and appreciating the joy of simply being together. Capturing the beauty in their lives is not all that different than families’ with young kids. The gentle touch of a mother’s hand. The love in her eyes. The bond between that is unlike any other.

This session really solidified for me how important it is to preserve stories from all stages of life, because every phase is beautiful in its own way. Family Stories is not just reserved for families with young kids. Throughout your entire life your relationships and connections to the other people, animals, places, and events that are important to you make up YOUR story. The chapters may be different but they all deserve to be remembered.