When Laura set out to find the perfect way to capture her grandmother's life stories, she found herself at a crossroads between two popular platforms: Remento and Storyworth. Both promised to help preserve precious family memories, but as Laura delved deeper into her research, she discovered significant differences that would ultimately shape her decision. This article explores Laura's journey in choosing a family memory platform, her experience with Remento, and how it helped her create a lasting legacy that bridges generations and continents.
Laura's quest began innocuously enough with a podcast advertisement for Storyworth. The concept immediately piqued her interest - a platform designed to help families preserve their stories for future generations. However, Laura was cautious. She didn't want to make a hasty decision based solely on an advertisement.
"I thought the idea was such a good one. But I didn't want to get it just because I heard an ad. I wanted to look into different options."
This initial spark of curiosity led Laura down a path of thorough research. As she explored various platforms, she found herself increasingly drawn to Remento. Unlike Storyworth, which primarily relied on written submissions, Remento offered a more dynamic, multi-faceted approach to storytelling.
Learn more about the differences between Storyworth and Remento
As Laura compared Remento and Storyworth, three key factors emerged that ultimately tipped the scales in Remento's favor.
First and foremost was the consideration of her grandmother's comfort and ease in sharing her stories. Storyworth's model, which required users to write their memories, seemed potentially burdensome, especially for an older person who might not be comfortable with extensive typing or writing. Remento, on the other hand, offered a recording feature that aligned perfectly with Laura's vision. "I wanted to have the recordings of her for the future," Laura explained. This feature not only made the process more accessible for her grandmother but also preserved the nuances of her voice - the laughter, the pauses, the emotion that text alone couldn't capture. For Laura, the idea of being able to hear her grandmother's voice telling these stories years down the line was incredibly powerful and meaningful.
The second factor that drew Laura to Remento was its approach to incorporating photos into the storytelling process. While Storyworth allowed users to add pictures to their books, Remento took this a step further. It provided a platform where Laura's grandmother could actually share memories about specific photos.
"I wanted to learn her memories about photos - not just add pictures to a book at the end."
This feature turned static images into gateways to rich, detailed stories, adding depth and context to family photographs that might otherwise have been lost to time.
Lastly, Laura was impressed by Remento's user-friendly interface and its design considerations for older users. The platform stressed that it was made with older generations in mind, which was crucial given that Laura's grandmother would be the primary user. "Even though my grandmother is tech-savvy, I wanted to be sure it was easy for her," Laura said.
With her decision made, Laura gifted Remento to her grandparents for Hanukkah. Living abroad with a significant time difference, she saw this as an opportunity not just to preserve memories, but to maintain a meaningful connection across the miles. "I thought this would be a nice way to connect on a weekly basis," she reflected.
The impact of this gift went far beyond Laura's initial expectations. What started as a way to stay in touch transformed into a journey of discovery.
It was beyond just FaceTiming and talking about our weeks; it was about her upbringing in Morocco, my grandfather's experience during World War II, and more. It was much deeper than just everyday stuff.
As the weeks went by, Laura found herself eagerly anticipating each new story her grandmother recorded. The platform became a window into a rich family history that might otherwise have remained untold. It provided a structured yet flexible way to ask those deep, meaningful questions that don't often come up in day-to-day conversations.
In choosing Remento, Laura didn't just find a platform for preserving memories - she discovered a tool for strengthening family bonds, bridging generational gaps, and creating a lasting legacy. The ease of use, the ability to capture voice recordings, and the interactive approach to photos all combined to make Remento the ideal choice for Laura and her family.
As Laura looks forward to compiling these stories and photos into a book, she reflects on the journey with satisfaction. What started as a search for a simple gift has transformed into a treasure trove of family history, preserved not just in words and pictures, but in the familiar, beloved voice of her grandmother - a priceless gift for generations to come.
The story book that writes itself
Preserve family stories.
No writing required.
