Author
Petro van der Watt
Petro writes about family rituals, storytelling and the small moments that hold a family together.
6 stories
One Photo, Three Voices: A Family Story Experiment
We asked three generations of one family to describe the same photograph. Their stories were completely different, and all of them were true.
Family Stories & History · 12 September 2026 · 2 min read · Petro van der Watt
Why Children Ask to Hear the Same Family Stories Again
Tell it again. Every parent hears it. Children love family stories, and they want the same ones over and over. That repetition is doing important work.
Parenting & Childhood · 30 August 2026 · 4 min read · Petro van der Watt
The Small Family Rituals Children Remember Most
Ask adults what they remember from childhood and they rarely mention the expensive holiday. They remember family rituals: the small things that happened again and again.
Making Memories · 25 August 2026 · 4 min read · Petro van der Watt
Why Shared Meals Still Matter
Shared family meals are one of the oldest family rituals there is. In busy households they are easy to lose, and worth fighting for.
Family Time · 12 August 2026 · 4 min read · Petro van der Watt
The Objects and Stories Worth Passing Down
Family heirlooms are only as meaningful as the stories attached to them. Here is how to choose what to pass down and how to keep the stories with them.
Legacy & Traditions · 30 July 2026 · 4 min read · Petro van der Watt
Questions to Ask Grandparents Before the Stories Are Lost
Grandparents carry stories nobody else remembers. These questions to ask grandparents can help you hear them, and keep them, while there is still time.
Family Stories & History · 22 July 2026 · 4 min read · Petro van der Watt