Families of today are so mixed; you have his, hers and theirs.  Sometimes the original couple could not have children and they decided to adopt.  If they split up the mix then gets even more confusing.  Will children of future generations ever know who they are or where they came from?  A family tree will be helpful if someone will take the necessary time and put forth the enormous effort to contact other relatives, especially the older generation.

The older relatives will have memories and perhaps records of family decedents generations back.  They are usually very happy to talk about their childhood and the good times as well as the hard times.  Too often we wait until their memory is not as sharp as it needs to be or they have passed on.  Sadly when this happens a lot of who we are is lost.  

Old snapshots are very helpful when you are talking with the older relatives.  Take them along and ask them to share any photos they still have.  Write everything they tell you down and once you get home, put it together on the computer while it is still fresh.  Listen intently and ask questions if you need to, but try not to interrupt them unnecessarily.

Start with what you know.  Get a family tree form and fill in as much as you can.  Forms are on the Internet and are available in stores.