What are the main principles that you follow when raising children?
I always try to communicate with them, be for themfriend, adviser. It seems to me, this is very important, when your child can always share with you this or that problem, and not close in yourself. We build trust with each other. This helps children to feel some kind of security. Trust and love are the main principles.
Photo: from the personal archive of Yulia VolkovaIs Samir's upbringing different from Victoria's?Firstly, there is an age difference between them (Vika is 11years old, Samir is 8 years old. – Ed. Wday). Secondly, I am raising Samir as a protector, a man who will protect his family in the future. Moreover, he is a more thinking boy, but Vika is an absolutely creative, emotional person. At any age, boys require more trust, and girls expect more care. Therefore, I try to give Samir the opportunity to achieve something without help from adults, and he gradually gains confidence in his abilities, feels his importance. If I offer him to tie his shoelaces or something like that, he will resist it, because he likes to do it himself. If the same is offered to a girl, she will first of all feel love and care. Are you a friend to your children or rather a mentor?Friend, mentor and mother all rolled into one.If they have any problems or just questions, they can always come to me and talk, ask questions that interest them, ask for advice. I think it is very right when a child does not close himself off, but tries to share and splash out what is painful, or to be interested in something. Vika can sometimes ask about boys (laughs), that's just the age, and Samir asks more philosophical questions. Children are jealous when you pay more attention to someone, and how is this jealousy expressed? Maybe they are trying to attract attention to themselves somehow?No!I repeat that a boy and a girl should have a different approach to upbringing, especially if there is an age difference. But I try to give them love in a balanced way. I always try to pay attention to them, and we spend time together when I have the opportunity: we go to the cinema, children's cafes, ice-skate, walk, and go to the beach in the summer. And, of course, we celebrate all family celebrations together. Children love to relax at the seaside, so in our free time from work and study we travel. How does Samir feel about his little sister? Does he stand up for her? Are there any gentlemanly traits?Of course, they may quarrel among themselves.These are children. But Samir, when he walks, can open the door and let his sister go first. It's very gallant and sweet at the same time. Do you interfere in quarrels between children? Do you take someone's side or let them sort it out on their own?In any conflict, both are to blame.We try to sort out every argument so that similar situations don't happen in the future. But these are children, they didn't share one thing, then another or something else. That's normal.
