A lot has been said about how our response to coronavirus may affect the economy; but what of its lasting impact on our relationships? This mass retreat may mean a mass reflection on what matters and how we should spend our time.

Self-isolation presents a unique period of time for individuals to be cooped up together in an environment with their families. Millions around the globe have been encouraged to keep their distance and avoid social contact with the outside world.

This forced time spent with loved ones can be taken as an opportunity to be more mindful of making an effort to show you care through the simple outlet of exchanging stories.

StoryTerrace, a company that matches everyday people with professional ghost-writers so that they can document their life stories in the form of full-length biographies, has commissioned nationally representative research which reveals just how little we actually know about some of the closest people to us, particularly our parents.

  • Over one-third (37%) of people in the UK learn more about their parents by discovering pictures and family possessions from the past, overhearing conversations or speaking with other family members rather than directly from our parents themselves.
  • Almost 1 in 4 (23%) people in the UK say that, despite their parents being the most important people in their life, they give them the least amount of time.
  • 17% of Brits have not spoken to their parents in the past month.

It is clear that many people hold great admiration for their parents and their efforts to provide as many opportunities for their families as possible.

However, it is a great shame that a large proportion of us are so out of touch with who our parents really are, and as a result, are likely missing out on the chance to develop deeper relationships with those closest to us and to learn invaluable life lessons and advice from those who came before us.

While self-isolation has brought many families together, it has equally forced physical distance between loved ones. StoryTerrace’s research has revealed that regardless of your individual circumstances, we all can be doing more to reach out to those we hold dearest, in times of health crises or not.

Video calls, in particular, are a fantastic choice for people to connect on – particularly when they are isolating alone.

In response to this research, StoryTerrace is keen to encourage everyone during this period of self-isolation to block out the outside world and be present with their loved ones by digging a little deeper and asking them about their most treasured memories and the experiences that define their life-stories.

Rutger Bruining (above), CEO and Founder of StoryTerrace, comments on the importance of sharing experiences and memories with your loved ones during self-isolation and the advantages of documenting life stories for future generations:

“With the health crisis at hand, many of us are concerned about our parents’ wellbeing. Sharing stories and expressing interest can be one of the most therapeutic ways for us to show our support for our loved ones in this difficult time.

“Here at StoryTerrace, we want to encourage everyone to reach out to their parents and to listen to their tales and memories. By documenting and recording the stories of your loved one’s life, not only can you preserve their legacy, but you can achieve a better understanding of the person that you are in the world today through who you come from.

“For those of you who are staying at home for an extended period, we promise that putting together your life story will be a great trip down memory lane, and we hope it will be a welcome distraction during this testing time.

“Every household and business is making changes in how they operate right now. The main change that we will be making is to arrange more interview sessions via video call or phone call.

“We will be offering video and phone interviews wherever necessary or requested. As part of this service, we will help you set up your video calls and provide tips on how to create the right environment to make them as personal as a regular meeting.

“Many of our clients have already successfully created beautiful books using our remote service – so we can be confident that if you choose to go down this route, you will enjoy the experience and be delighted with the results.

“This means you can create your book with the help of our wonderful team of writers and editors without ever being in the same room. We can even send copies across the country for family and friends to enjoy at home.”