Family relationship

1. Let’s talk about family. What role does it play in your life?

The family is very important for our society. Family is a center of people's life. Every mother and father want to bring their children in a proper way. Understanding between the members of the family is very important to make it friendly. A lot of family traditions help members of the family to be on friendly terms: discussing all the family plans together, celebrating holidays and travelling together, visiting museums, theaters and cinemas and so on. Now I want to tell you about my family. Our family is not big. We are a family of four: my father, my mother, my younger brother and I. My name is Olga. I am seventeen. I am a student. My younger brother is ten. He is a pupil of the fifth form. He looks like our father. As for me everybody says I look like my mother. I am an ordinary girl of seventeen. Our family lives in Gomel. We have a nice three-roomed flat on the fourth floor of a multistoried building. My mother is about 40. She looks very good. We all love our Mum, and are always ready to help her about the house. We all have our duties. My mother is a bookkeeper. She works in a bank. My father is an economist. He is a very good economist. We are very proud of him. My younger brother also has his work about the house. He helps mother to set the table and wash the dishes. On Saturdays Dad helps us in our work about the house. He likes to make or repair something. We don't have a problem of misunderstanding between the members of the family. I think that it is because of the age of my parents and their character.

2. Are you on good terms with your parents and grandparents?

I am on good terms with my parents and grandparents. We don't have such problems as misunderstanding between the members of the family. I think that it is because of the age of my parents and their character.

3. What will you ask a British teenager about his/her family?

Have you got a big family? Have you got any family traditions? Do you like to spend your free time with your family?

4. What can you advise people who want to get on well with their parents?

I can advise for anyone to try to understand the feelings of your parents and show respect to them. Even if you don’t agree with your parents, try to make them understand politely, don’t use bad words which may hurt.

5. They say that parents and children have difficulties in understanding each other because of the generation gap. What do you think about this problem?

We don't have a problem of misunderstanding in our family. I think that it is because of the age of my parents and their character. I think it is really good, when your parents are young. They can understand your wishes and problems. And it’s sad that families are getting smaller now. I think there should be two or three children in a family. You will never feel lonely in a big family.