Help coming up with questions for monthly newsletter
July 22, 2016 11:12 AM Subscribe
Hi Metafilter, I am trying to spiffy up the monthly newsletter that is put out through my local mothers club. One feature I want to add is a monthly interview with a mothers club member who owns their own business/is in business for herself. I was thinking I would ask the same set of 3-5 interview questions to each person. I would love suggestions for questions that you think would be interesting in this regard. Also, I want to feature a different member family each month. Instead of asking them to provide the usual biographical blurb, I'd like to ask each family the same fun question each month. I also would love suggestions for what this question could be. Thank you!
I'd caution you to ask a broader set of questions, say 8-10, and then select the 3-5 best answers from each interview. Some of the answers each interviewee gives are bound to be more boring than others, and this will also allow you to more easily introduce new question ideas as you think of them and eliminate ones that aren't yielding great responses.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:28 AM on July 22, 2016 [18 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:28 AM on July 22, 2016 [18 favorites]
How has being a mother helped you with your work?
How has your worked helped you with being a mother?
How does having a business play well with having family responsibilities?
posted by Michele in California at 11:35 AM on July 22, 2016
How has your worked helped you with being a mother?
How does having a business play well with having family responsibilities?
posted by Michele in California at 11:35 AM on July 22, 2016
Oh, and: What makes a good person?
(I think I want my own interview project...)
posted by amtho at 11:53 AM on July 22, 2016
(I think I want my own interview project...)
posted by amtho at 11:53 AM on July 22, 2016
Two similar questions that will evoke different answers, depending on what your audience is more interested to know:
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out
or
What advice would you give to your younger self?
What is your favorite tip (life hack) for balancing all of the demands on your time?
What qualities make a person successful in your line of work?
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
Seconding showbiz_liz that you should ask more questions and edit it down. (And let your interviewees know so they don't stress out if they don't have a good answer for one of the questions)
posted by metahawk at 12:28 PM on July 22, 2016
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out
or
What advice would you give to your younger self?
What is your favorite tip (life hack) for balancing all of the demands on your time?
What qualities make a person successful in your line of work?
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
Seconding showbiz_liz that you should ask more questions and edit it down. (And let your interviewees know so they don't stress out if they don't have a good answer for one of the questions)
posted by metahawk at 12:28 PM on July 22, 2016
What prompted you to start your business?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 12:29 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by SuperSquirrel at 12:29 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
- What do you have the most pride in about your business?
(Or another question that lets them highlight their business, showcasing something positive about their business may encourage others to answer/go on the newsletter).
- Who do you admire and see as role models?
- What's your favorite story to tell about your kids?
fun questions:
- Where do you sneak snacks? (if you have young kids and don't want to give them cookies, it's wise to eat them out of sight)
- You might be able to pull up one of those 'madlibs / questions about your mom' to ask the kids from pinterest. (But those work best if it's younger kids answering.)
posted by typecloud at 12:45 PM on July 22, 2016
(Or another question that lets them highlight their business, showcasing something positive about their business may encourage others to answer/go on the newsletter).
- Who do you admire and see as role models?
- What's your favorite story to tell about your kids?
fun questions:
- Where do you sneak snacks? (if you have young kids and don't want to give them cookies, it's wise to eat them out of sight)
- You might be able to pull up one of those 'madlibs / questions about your mom' to ask the kids from pinterest. (But those work best if it's younger kids answering.)
posted by typecloud at 12:45 PM on July 22, 2016
Before having kids, how did you imagine yourself balancing work and family? How has it changed as the kids grow up?
When you ask each kid "What does Mommy do", what do they say?
What's been the most challenging developmental stage so far? What's been your favourite stage?
What's your most unique parenting tip?
What's your proudest moment as a parent?
What's your best strategy for being productive?
What parts of parenting come naturally to you? What parts are more challenging?
What aspect of parenting has surprised you the most?
What makes a good mother?
What are the most important values you're teaching your kids?
How do you teach kindness and empathy?
How do you teach impulse control and discipline?
Any tips for other moms having struggles around major areas like food, sleep, health, or behaviour?
How do you help your kids form strong bonds with their siblings? / How do you help your only child bond with other kids?
How do you relax?
What do you think will be different in the next 5 years?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:15 PM on July 23, 2016
When you ask each kid "What does Mommy do", what do they say?
What's been the most challenging developmental stage so far? What's been your favourite stage?
What's your most unique parenting tip?
What's your proudest moment as a parent?
What's your best strategy for being productive?
What parts of parenting come naturally to you? What parts are more challenging?
What aspect of parenting has surprised you the most?
What makes a good mother?
What are the most important values you're teaching your kids?
How do you teach kindness and empathy?
How do you teach impulse control and discipline?
Any tips for other moms having struggles around major areas like food, sleep, health, or behaviour?
How do you help your kids form strong bonds with their siblings? / How do you help your only child bond with other kids?
How do you relax?
What do you think will be different in the next 5 years?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:15 PM on July 23, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
How did your mother, or any person who taught you, teach you to empathize with other people?
How do you have fun with other people, children or adults?
What are you most looking forward to right now?
What has most surprised you abuot being a mother? What has most surprised you about being in your career?
posted by amtho at 11:22 AM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]