FAMILY

 In today’s uncertain world it is vital to have a great family. In a family people would do everything for each other and will always be there for you. Also a strong family makes you feel safe and confident. With them you can talk for hours and share your secrets, deepest thoughts and fears. Families help us carry through many hardships and difficult situations.

Let me describe my family. My family is rather small: it consists of my mother and father, my sister and me. My mom is 36, she is a doctor. She is very smart and kind. My father is a driver, he is 38. I’m really lucky, because he can always give me advice and he will always listen to me. My sister is 7 and she studies at school. I think she is really annoying: she calls me names, hides my things and plays other ugly tricks on me. Nevertheless, I love her and try to compromise with her. After all she is just a little girl.

It is very important to have family traditions. They are the glue that holds families together. They give children a sense of security. They know that in an uncertain world, some things stay the same. Traditions also promote closeness. Also lasting memories are formed.

In my family there are some traditions, too. First of all we always celebrate holidays together: Christmas, Easter, New Year, birthdays and so on. My favourite holiday is Christmas. On the 24^th of December we gather together and have a big family dinner. Other traditions include cleaning up together every Saturday and going to our country house on picnics. On Sundays we go cycling in summer and skiing in winter.

It is great when you have a loving family and no problems at all. However, most families face some problems. The most difficult problems are sibling rivalry and generation gap.

What is sibling rivalry? It happens because of age and personality differences between children. One or both of them might think that the other child is getting more attention from parents. This leads to physical fights, name-calling and arguments. To fight jealousy children should look for win-win solutions. And parents shouldn’t get involved too often, because these situations will teach children very helpful skills.

Generation gap is a big problem in some families, too. It is when children and parents don’t understand each other and have different values, norms, outlooks and attitudes, because they grew up in different times. How can families bridge generation gap? They should treat each other with respect and love, share their thoughts and try to find common ideas or activities.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that family is the most valuable thing in life. No-one else can make you happier. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.