Let's talk about family

I believe that everything has its beginning in the family. Family is very important for every person, because it gives you a sense of stability and tradition, a feeling of having support and understanding. There is a wise saying "Blood is thicker than water". From my point of view it means that your parents and other relatives will stick by you in times of need more than other people will.

I do think the family is very important as a unit in our society. Nothing else but family can be an emotional centre of people's lives and a transmitter of culture. Understanding between all members of the family and consideration for others are very important in family relationships. Tenderness, warm-heartedness and respect must always be present in the family to make it friendly. In my opinion, when a child is brought up in a friendly family, he or she will become a reliable and responsible person with a strong character and mind.

My family consists of my father, my mother, my sister and me.

I think I'd better start my story with my dad. His name is Vladimir. He is in his late thirties. He's tall with dark hair and hazel eyes and is of a strong built. He works as an electrician. My father is a very intelligent man and he is fond of reading and watching scientific programs. In some situations he is very serious but in general he is a cheerful person with a good sense of humor. He enjoys telling funny stories and taking photos. I think I take after my dad both in appearance and in character.

My mother's name is Galina. She is a programmer. She is very interested in her work and she is a professional. It has always impressed me how she can find enough time for both family and work. I can't say that my mother's life is easy as she has to keep the house and work but she manages to do everything in time. She is a strong and charming person and she does a good job of being a mother. In fact, she means a lot to me. She understands me in the way no other person would and she always finds proper words to comfort me.

My sister Kate is seven years old. She takes after our mother in her appearance. She is a nice girl with green eyes and long fair hair. She is a first-former. She likes music and dancing. She learns to play the piano. She likes playing with toys and watching cartoons in her free time. I love my sister but sometimes we quarrel about petty things. I think I must be more patient and tolerant with her.

We don't live with our extended family but we have many relations: two grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts, uncles and cousins. All of them live in Belarus and we get together from time to time, mainly on our birthdays or other holidays. It's also our family tradition to spend summer holidays together either at the seaside or in the country, which I enjoy very much.

As I've already said the bonds of the family are always stronger than those between unrelated people. And I am happy to say that my home is a place where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. I can say that my parents trust me, give me freedom, rely on me and respect me. These things, in my opinion, make family relations warm and pleasant.