Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays. The exact date of the holiday changes from year to year but it usually falls on April. Preparation for Easter starts seven weeks before the actual holiday. It’s called the advent of Lent. Many Christian people don’t eat meat and animal products during this period. The week before Easter is quite busy because people start thoroughly preparing for the holiday. The traditions of Easter celebration vary from country to country. For example, in our country the Sunday before Easter is called a Willow Sunday. On this day people bring home some willow branches which have been blessed in church. Thursday before Easter is called Clean Thursday. Traditionally people should bathe before sunrise on this day. Houses and flats should be cleaned too. There is also a Good Friday. It’s the day when women bake Easter bread called “paska” or “paskha”. On Saturday children dye Easter eggs, which are called “pysankas”. In the evening people go to church for the Easter mass, which lasts all night. Sunday is the actual day of Easter. People visit each other on this day and exchange colourful “pysankas”. In English-speaking countries the official symbol of this holiday is Easter bunny. Children are especially fond of this day because they get lots of chocolate and fluffy bunnies as a present.
Family ConflictsКонфликты в семьеEvery family has problems because there are no ideal relationships. Conflicts usually appear between parents and their teenage offsprings. Wise parents try to decide such problems without insulting or pressurizing children. Teenagers are rather sensitive. They are going through a difficult period, when they have to choose future occupation, friends, interests. It’s also the time of first love and tears. So, parents should understand this and try to help them instead of useless moralizing. One of the most difficult problems among adults and youngsters is the struggle for independence. At some point children realize that they want to be independent, they don’t need help or advice from parents. They want to be left alone and to decide for themselves. That’s when family conflicts start. The only solution is to hear each other and to talk about it. Unfortunately, teens don’t understand that some things or situations can be dangerous and can have unwanted effects. This is the time when many youngsters try alcohol, cigarettes or drugs, not knowing that this one try can ruin all their life. They don’t understand that parents have gone through this and know how behave in certain situation. Meanwhile, adults should understand that their children are no longer kindergarten kids. They have grown and they need special attention. Family conflict is not a disaster. It can be solved if treated sensibly. There are many family therapists and psychologists nowadays, who help to solve such problems. The main condition is not to let it become too deep.
