Family Life

What is a family?

The dictionary says that a family is a group of one or two parents and their children.

Family
Nuclear Family/Single Family (usually a husband, wife, and child, but recently defined more loosely)
Extended Family (including relatives like Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, etc.)
Blended Family/Step-Family (family with mixed parents, resulting in step-children/siblings)

What is your opinion?
Who can be included in a family?

Two (married or dating) people are called
A COUPLE

A parent raising a child alone is called
A SINGLE-PARENT

The Problems We Face in a Family

1. Generation Gap

The words you may need:

To suffer from
lack of understanding
to take close control of smb
old-fashioned views
conservative/liberal views

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

To suffer from lack of understanding

To take close control of smb

Old-fashioned views
to be “sheltered”
“overprotective parenting”
“family values”
“alternative lifestyle”

2. The Courting* Period
*Courting is considered an old-fashioned term, and “dating” is used more often

The words you may need:

to date (someone)
to propose to smb
to become/get engaged
(to “pop the question”)
to live together/cohabitate*
(жить в гражданском браке)

Engagement Terms
Fiancée (f) and Fiancé (m)
Bride (f) and Groom (m)
Wife (f) and Husband (m)

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to court smb

to date smb

to propose to smb

to become engaged

To cohabitate,
to live together

3. Birth of a child

The words you may need:

to misbehave
capricious
to lose one’s temper
to let steam off
to spank
to punish, to discipline
to imitate the parents
to keep kids on their toes

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to misbehave

to lose one’s temper

to let the steam off

to imitate the parents

to keep kids on their toes

Child Raising Phrases
sibling rivalry
time-out
chores
(dis)obedience
negative influence
positive reinforcement
natural consequence

Phrases related to Families/Children
To “drive (someone) nuts/crazy”
To “throw a fit” or “throw a temper tantrum”
To be a “pain in the neck”
To “give (someone) gray hairs”
To “make a fuss”
To “mouth off” or to “talk back”
To be a “smart mouth”
To be “empty nesters”

4. Financial Frictions
разногласия

The words you may need:

to argue about money
how to manage finances
to budget
to learn conflict resolution skills
to work as a team

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to argue about money

how to manage finances

to learn conflict resolution skills

to work as a team

5. The Household Chores

The words you may need:

to assign duties/chores
to clean up the room
to vac(uum) the carpets
to wash/do the dishes
to make the bed
to mop the floor
to watch the kids
to take out the trash

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to assign the duties

to clean up the room

to vacuum the carpets

to wash the dishes

to make the bed

to mop the floor

to watch the kids

to take out the trash

Must a present day woman learn to:
sew clothes
knit
bake buns/bread
can (консервировать)
darn (штопать)

In a modern day family:
Who should cook?
Who should clean?
… do yard work?
… do laundry?

5. Relationship With the in-Laws

in-laws

The words you may need:

Mother-in-law
father-in-law
sister-in-law
brother-in-law
daughter-in-law
son-in-law

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

Mother-in-law

father-in-law

sister-in-law

brother-in-law

daughter-in-law

son-in-law

7. Fear of Adultery

The words you may need:

to commit adultery
(to cheat on someone)
to (get a) divorce
a single parent
ex-husband/wife
step-dad/mom

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to commit adultery

to divorce
to get a divorce
to get divorced

A single parent

8. The Absence of Lodging

The words you may need:

to rent a flat/apartment
high cost of housing/living
to share the flat with older adults
roommates/housemates

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

to rent a flat

high cost of housing

to share the flat with older adults

9. Low Wages

The words you may need:

lack of experience
low wages
to result in/have a nervous breakdown

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

Lack of experience

Low wages/salary

to result in (to have a)
nervous breakdown

In my opinion, it’s better to live separately from your relatives.
Do you agree and why?

I guess, it’s better to do all the work around the house yourself without trying to assign the duties.
Do you agree and why?

To my mind, it would be better if women could afford not to work at all and just keep the house.
Do you agree and why?

In my opinion, a woman’s character determines whether the marriage will be successful or not.
Do you agree and why?

What is more important:
to cook dinner or to wash up?
to play with a child or to vac the room?
to wash the floor or to read a book?

What can we do to make the house cozy?

Do you think cohabitating/living together suits women?

What can we do to save the family in the case of adultery?

What can we do to lighten the workload around the house?

Do you believe that domestic appliances can lighten our work?

Meat grinder
Washing machine
Fridge
Electric mixer
Blender
Dishwasher
Electric grater
Juicer

Make up some sentences with the following words/expressions:

Meat grinder

Washing machine

Dishwasher

Electric grater

Juicer

What duties does a woman have about the house every day?

What skills would you like to master?

What features of character would you like to get rid of?

What features of character would you like to acquire?

What features of character are the most necessary in family life?