Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Family Values

We are going a bit crazy here at the moment. The language issues are very, very frustrating. Karina so wants to really talk with us, and we with her, and the basic communication is not cutting it. Our honeymoon is moving into stage 2 - deeper relationships building and I welcome that. I just wish it were easier. She is really frustrated. She has so much she wants to say, and she needs us to understand her and listen to her. The problem arises in that she is slow at typing (computers are new to her) so she cannot say a lot, and her spelling is not perfect, so many words do not translate.  Please send your positive thoughts if you are reading. We will feel your love and for Karina's sake, she needs the support and good karma, if you will.

Here are our family values and expectations at the moment. This is the basis of who we are right now in our family. We thought other families may be able to benefit if they are in process of deciding on the same. These are easier said than overtly taught. The best way to teach them, is simply by example, which means we have to be really, really sensitive to how we are acting. That is difficult when emotions are running higher than typical.

Family Values – Семейные ценности

Honesty              честность

Respect               уважение

Responsibility     ответственность
Accountability    подотчетности

Fairness              справедливость

Compassion        сострадание


Family Expectations:

1. Always treat each other with kindness and respect, which means to listen thoughtfully to each other and work through conflicts with a desire to do what is best for the whole family, not just one person.

1. Всегда относиться друг к другу с добротой и уважением, что означает прислушиваться задумчиво друг к другу и работать через конфликты с желанием сделать то, что является лучшим для всей семьи, а не только одного человека.




2. Keep your room tidy, make your bed every morning and return your things to your room after use; don’t leave your things lying around.

2. Храните ваши комнаты аккуратные, сделать вашу постель каждое утро и вернуть свои вещи в номер после использования; не оставляйте свои вещи лежащие вокруг.


3. If you make a mess, clean it up immediately. Our home belongs to all of us, and we all respect and care for our home and family.

3. Если вы делаете беспорядок, очистить его немедленно. Наш дом принадлежит всем нам, и мы все уважение и внимание к нашим домом и семьей.




4. Everyone should turn off lights, water, radio, television when not using them. We conserve electricity and water because it is good for the environment. 

4. Каждый должен выключить свет, вода, радио, телевидение, когда их не используете. Мы экономии электроэнергии и воды, потому что это хорошо для окружающей среды.



5. Eat and drink only in the kitchen or dining room.  No drink or food is allowed where there is carpet.
5. Ешьте и пейте только в кухне или столовой. Нет питья или еды допускается, где есть ковер.


6. Each family member should wash his or her hands before and after eating, after using the bathroom, and when we each come inside after playing outdoors.

6. Каждый член семьи должен мыть его или ее руки до и после еды, после посещения туалета, и когда каждый из нас войти внутрь после игры на свежем воздухе.


7. Each person is responsible for their daily chores.

7. Каждый человек несет ответственность за их повседневной работой.



8. Quiet time starts at 9pm Sunday through Thursday.
8. Тихо время начинается в 9 вечера воскресенья по четверг.




9 When in doubt, ALWAYS ask permission from Mama or Papa.
9. Если вы сомневаетесь, всегда спрашивайте разрешения от мамы или папы.

 

3 comments:

  1. Hi you two! Haven't had a lot of opportunity to keep up with the few blogs I follow. Been home about a month and it's been crazy busy with the two new ones and all the other girls around here. If you give me a phone number, I can ask Anya to call her to encourage her and talk for a while. Anya remembers her and I showed her that she was now in the U.S. I love the "Family Values" list. Let me know how that goes. Congratulations!!!

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  2. Hi,
    I have been following your blog with interest but have not posted. Congratulations on your new daughter, who seems like a beautiful girl. We adopted our then-12-year-old son from Ukraine a little over a year ago. Like you, we are a first-time family of 3. Fortunately for us our son had a relatively good command of spoken English, but this list would nevertheless have been a huge help to us in making sure that he fully understood what our expectations are--thanks for sharing. It will also be invaluable when we host again this summer. The boy we will host was one of our son's best friends in the internat and, unlike our son, has very limited understanding of English. Your list should help to eliminate some frustrations! Thanks again.
    Alycia Goody

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  3. Back...again! Got your E-mail. Haven't forgotten about you, the offer or anything else, I just cannot get over the dizziness and/or nausea from the pain medication from knee surgery last week. I don't do well with medications so I'v spent the last three days being mostly useless. I'll talk to Anya about it. I know she'd be glad to be involved. Matt

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