Russian Women and her Children

Russian women are considered to be the best mothers. They are worthy of the title. Is there a country where mothers help their children morally and financially throughput their life? Is there a country which saw such self-sacrificed mothers? And, after all, is there a country where mothers watch over and control their children so meticulously?

This is a true fact that most Russian parents support their children throughout the whole life. Even after the children have celebrated their 30th, 40th or 50th birthday, the mother will bring them food and supply with money, often at the expense of her scarce old-age pension. The Russian woman will not let her child see her weakness. For all she is worth she will strive to show him, no matter little or grown-up, 'Look, how strong I am! I always know how one should act in any situation, I will find the way out of any deadlock. And you are frail and can't survive without my help.' Let us consider some peculiarities of a Russian woman's relations with her son and daughter.

Russian woman and her son. Russian parents rejoice more at the birth of a son than of a daughter. Such is the impact of the dramatic past of Russia, when men were slaughtered in numerous wars. The number of men in Russia is always less than that of women, which accounts for their privileged social position and a kind of adoration of them. The slogan 'Let us protect men' is not a mere irony to a Russian woman. A very strong emotional link between a mother and her son is characteristic of Russia, it cannot be broken even by the latter's marriage. A man subconsciously looks for a woman resembling, in appearance or character, his mother. Sometimes a wife is forced to fight for her husband literally snatching him out of hands of his mother, who tries to control his every step. Sometimes a very obedient son may never marry and prefers to live with his mother or, quite on the contrary, a man may oppose his mother's excessive control and manifest through his desire to keep her as far as possible from his own family. It was found that a strong mother has a weak son, as a rule, and a weak mother - a strong son. The typical behavior pattern is like this: a woman who fails to make herself think of her son as a grown-up man and to separate from him, will always consider him her little boy. Consequently she will tend him and guard him and control him.

Russian woman and her daughter. Mother's love can be both the greatest benefit and the greatest evil for the daughter as well, as for the son. Sometimes a bright blooming mother has a very timid and inconspicuous daughter by her side. The other extremity is when a mother sacrifices her life to her daughter's. In this case the mother indulges all her daughter's whims, while the latter becomes very capricious and willful. The golden middle lies between the two extremes. In most cases mother tries to teach her little daughter to feel like a little hostess of the house and forms her first skills of running it. It is mother who gives her daughter the first lessons of knitting and sewing. A mother and a daughter often keep their family cookery book, in which they collect the recipes of their favorite dishes. Mother always expects help about the house from her daughter and her capability of being independent. A wise mother would never insist on her own life principles, but tactfully help her daughter, admitting the right to make decisions by herself. "Do it as you wish," as she may say to the daughter. Still there are mothers who actively interfere in the private lives of their daughters. They may be persistent in their requirements concerning their future son-in-law; they may even dictate their daughters whether to marry this or that young man or not, or how to build the relations with him.

So, we may say that the child is the highest value of the Russian woman. She doesn't have to learn to love her child. But sometimes she has to learn to be wise in this love. A Russian woman will surely love your child too, as if he were her own one, because the beloved man and his offspring are inseparable for her.

Russian Women and her extended Family

The group of relatives with whom a Russian woman usually tries to keep connection, is determined not only by the blood ties, but by her family and national traditions, her sociability and the place where she lives. As a rule, before the marriage a Russian girl has close relations with her parents, brothers and sisters, cousins, grandfathers and grandmothers, uncles and aunts (most often, her parents' brothers and sisters). After the wedding she gets new relatives on her husband's side.

There is a strong tendency in modern Russia: while on the whole family relationships become loose, the Russian woman is still close to her mother and sister. The relations with the husband's relatives are more complicated. But it is necessary to know that for the sake of her beloved man, a Russian woman would strive to be on friendly terms with his relatives, she would do anything for them to like her, and if they don't, she would simply keep good relations with them to please her husband.

The Russian woman is more likely to keep her blood ties. She is usually close to her mother and sister; do not try to make this connection loose, as it is something really sacred for her. She will be cruelly offended if you are not able to understand her feelings towards the relatives. And so are your own relatives for her, as they are an integral part of you; and she will try to make friends with them as soon as possible.

Russian Women to avoid

Let us see what typical family problems a woman has to deal with in modern Russia.

Adultery. There is a strong opinion in Russia, that it is not the adulterer to blame for his doings, but the one who stimulates him. According to the centuries-old tradition, people usually accuse the woman. The husband is unfaithful, but the woman is guilty; she is taken as bad hostess, wife and mother. If she herself is unfaithful, then she is twice as guilty! What will be the reaction of a modern Russian woman in case she gets to know about her husband? There is an incredible number of possible patterns of behavior. I remember a 30-years-old woman who confessed to her female friends that after seeing a dream about her husband's adultery, she couldn't talk to him calmly. Another one told such a story: "As I saw him with that woman, I ran away in tears. I was silent for two days and was waiting for him to confess and to tell me he was sorry, and I, like a loving wife, would certainly forgive, and everything will be finished. But he was as usual; he was even tender with me and was constantly saying 'dear' and 'honey'. And I decided to tell him everything I had seen that evening. He exploded.

He started shouting at me and told me to get away from his house. We still live together but we are strangers now. What shall I do? Forgive? But what about the soul? What shall I do with the wounded love? Kill it?"

Sometimes adultery leads to divorce. But in many cases women forgive their husbands for being unfaithful. There are several reasons why the Russian woman forgives:

• firstly, feeling pity towards her husband, when she is sure that 'he will die without me';

• secondly, the desire to save the family by all means: legally and for the social status;

• thirdly, the fear of staying alone;

• fourthly, being financially dependent upon the husband (usually in rich families).

It often happens in modern Russia, when a tyrant husband totally suppresses his wife; finally, the moment comes when she tries to set herself free through the act of adultery. Sometimes it may be also a way for a Russian woman to get her husband's love back. A wife can easily see, that if she seems rather attractive to men around, her husband becomes more attentive to her. It occasionally happens when, tired after being endlessly reproached and after her husband being constantly jealous, the woman finds a way to be unfaithful. She thinks that it is much easier to stand his jealousy by horning him.

There are cases when a Russian woman becomes unfaithful for her career, and even for the career of her husband. This situation is described in one of the films by a well-known Russian director Pyotr Todorovski: the wife of a captain becomes a lover of commander of the regiment to promote her husband. Lately, the wives of the so-called 'new Russians' (people who have become rich in a short period of time), being excluded from the social life, find lovers (often young hustlers) to overcome their depression.

The cases described above are by no means a national trouble of Russians. I daresay that, following the Christian and social morals, most Russian women are truly faithful to their husbands. Being faithful is the most important quality of the Russian woman in the relationship to her husband.

Jealousy.

Love is often accompanied by jealousy. The aggressive behavior of a husband is justified by many Russian women by the proverb 'If he is jealous, he is in love.' But it must be taken into account, that jealousy deeply offends the Russian woman, whether it might be light or, even worse, strong. She feels humiliated and insulted. It is worth only surprising at the Russian woman's capability to forgive her jealous and unfaithful men. But don't try to abuse a woman's patience and to 'awake a beast' in her. According to the statistics, the husband's jealousy and adultery are the chief reasons of divorces in Russia.

Divorce. As the Russian proverb goes, 'Smart people stay together, but fools divorce.' It is quite common for people in Russia to stay enemies after the divorce. Relatives, children, friends, and even colleagues, are involved into the long-term antagonism of the former spouses. And what are the reasons of the divorces in Russian families? Let us enumerate some of them:

• being greatly dependent on the parents who don't like their sons- or daughters-in-law and interfere into the life of their grown-up children;

• inability to solve regular family problems and hopes for a next happier marriage in future;

• long family crisis;

• suppression of one of the spouses' personality;

• physical violence (mostly from men);

• adultery;

• one of the spouses' alcoholism or drug-addiction;

• one of the spouses inability to have children;

• financial difficulties;

• the peculiarities of the profession.

According to the statistics, every third married couple is divorced in Russia nowadays. But as psychologists say, 50 per cent of the divorced regret their separation later on. Some of them go on living together being officially divorced. It is worth mentioning that in spite of all the troubles, the Russian woman tries to save her family by all means, and divorces only when her marriage becomes really unbearable.

The Russian woman is able to solve any family problems. The main reason of this is her burning desire to save the family, especially if there are common children in it.

Russian Women and domestic Problems

Foreign men willing to marry a Russian woman often have a reasonable fear to make a mistake in their choice. If you are one of them, I will try to give you some pieces of advice.

The most dangerous category of women for you are those, for whom a foreign marriage is only a means of improving their welfare. If a woman keeps actively questioning you about your financial situation, asks what you can provide her with and doesn't show any interest in you personally, you have to be careful; most possibly she tries to marry your wallet, but not you.

Another case is no less dangerous. There are women who are really searching for a man to marry with, and still, living with them may seem an endless nightmare to you. Who are they?

Firstly, very selfish ones. If a woman is concentrated on herself, she will be hardly ever able to find any time for you and your children. You will be lucky enough, if she confines to admiring herself, but if she demands the same from you, I need to assure you, your life will become terrible.

Secondly, those who are true bitches. Every man has some experience of dealing with them, and also some idea of them. For one of my male acquaintances, for example, a bitch is a selfish, rude, falsely compliant, double-faced woman, for whom a man is nothing but a means of attaining her goal. "She is twice as selfish," as he often remarks. Only one thing is clear here: you should run as fast and as far as possible from her.

Thirdly, those who are fools. In general, a silly person is not a pleasant thing, so to say. But a silly woman is a real natural disaster. She doesn't only say stupidities, she acts stupidly. A too clever woman is not, certainly, a dream, of a man; as a famous Russian satirist A.Raikin said once: "What do you need a wise wife for? You will always feel an idiot by her side." That is why you should seek for a woman, who could be smart enough as not to show that she is cleverer than you; but beware of fools.

Fourthly, beware of heavenly beautiful women. It is well-known that the Lord equally grants all of us, and people who are good-looking, smart, easy to deal with and compliant at the same time are rather rare. While looking at a pretty lady, think and see if her good looks is not the only thing she is endowed with.

While communicating with a woman you should pay your attention at several points:

• the way she behaves, whether her behavior isn't too familiar and vulgar;

• the drinks she prefers, if she doesn't abuse alcohol;

• the way she treats others (in public transport, in the restaurant, in the hotel, in the street). Beware of rude and scandalous women;

• how she spends money. It is not characteristic of a virtuous Russian woman to throw the money, even if she were rich;

• how she behaves with you. If she offers herself right after the first minutes, she is not the woman you need;

• the topics she is ready to discuss, and the manner she does it. If she is concentrated on her own problems and ignores the things you tell her, she is not the one you are looking for;

• how she treats the children, yours and her own ones. A true Russian woman is easy to discover by her tender attitude to children;

• the people she deals with. The folk wisdom says: "Tell me who you friend is, and I'll tell you who you are." Even if a woman is a good actress and manages to create a favorable image of hers, her personal contacts will tell you much more about her and, what is more important, in a more honest way.

Men from abroad are often afraid of getting married a prostitute. I will give some recommendations, how to reveal such a woman:

• She doesn't want to speak about her job.

• She says that she is a secretary, an accountant, a waitress, and it doesn't correspond with her high level of living. She might as well have prosperous parents or a former husband to provide her; try to find it out. Don't forget that high salaries are commonly paid in the sphere of finance; and women working in other spheres aren't usually well-paid.

• She doesn't want you to meet her family: her way of life might be the reason of her family relations break up.

In spite of it all, do not be too suspicious. The point is much easier: you should better not look for your future wife in bars, restaurants, hotels and on the streets at night. I wish you good luck. May you be happy!

My concluding thoughts

Every client we have ever had always asks us one question at some time of the other; “How does one go about marrying a Russian women?” I think I will end of my short book by answering this question. A Russian women is no different from women in another country. This book will give you some background into her thinking and actions. Never for one moment assume that any book will have give you all the answers you need.

Treat her the way you want to be treated. If you are looking to marry someone submissive and merely for sex, expect her to marry you for your money. If you set the standard of the relationship as something sincere, she should reciprocate this behaviour. The best advice I can give you is go with a good agency, learn as much as you can, do not give money to anyone you do not know and trust your instincts. They will guide you the best

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