The number one reason to make a family tree is to answer questions. If you love puzzles, mysteries, and detective work, you’ll love genealogy. If you have doubts about the facts and are full of curiosity, you will enjoy genealogy. If you are thorough, cautious, resourceful, and scientifically inclined, you will be able to answer these questions.

• Who I am? Where do I come from? Who are my grandparents, uncles and aunts? I have eight grandparents? wow. Today, with many remarried and divorced parents, you may have many grandparents and great-grandparents.
• Why do I have green eyes? Why do I love digging in the dirt for gems and minerals and planting flower and vegetable gardens? Maybe it’s because three of my grandparents were miners. Why am I attracted to abroad? Maybe it’s because my grandparents and great-grandparents sailed across the ocean many times.
• Who are those people in those old pictures hanging on the walls? Why do people whisper about some people mentioned in letters or phone calls? So many unanswered questions.

Another good use of a family tree is to track genetic differences in the family. Many, many diseases are known to have an inherited factor. Since the genome was unraveled, scientists have found out more and more about genetic diseases and how abnormalities in their genetic material cause disease.

If your ancestors had or have a known genetic disease, you can consider your options when planning a family. More and more help is available to unravel these unknown disease mysteries. At the very least, you’ll understand why a child or parent behaves the way they do.

The third reason to make a family tree is to see the whole family at once. It’s all too easy to lose a member if you don’t carefully record and document them. There are many software programs online that help you make a complete family tree. They can be simple or as elegant as you like. There are family group sheets, research records, pedigree charts, census forms, and correspondence sheets to keep track of the letters you send and receive. There are ascending and descending charts and different fan charts. If you can do calligraphy, there are blank squares you can fill in. Be sure to identify and confirm your family members before starting your family tree.

You’ll have a reason to be proud if you make a beautiful family tree with all facts confirmed, all pictures identified, and all members included.