Why Europe Hates the Russian Family

Sabba – And, by extension, the Muslim family model.

RUSSIA INSIDER – Recently, I came across a series of internet stories by foreigners on their impressions of Russia. One was by a Swedish man who had a chance to live with a Russian family, and was astonished to see that the Russian family is very much alive and well! 

Not the  head of their own family anymore 

He noted that the Russian family still has a patriarchal structure. Children obey their parents, who are free to punish them. This doesn’t mean beating children for misbehaving but, for example, scolding a child, not letting them go out with friends, or depriving them of pocket money. All this is inadmissible in Sweden. 

Swedish parents don’t have a right to encroach on the personal freedom of their children, and can lose them if they do. Any child can report his or her parents to the police, and the government will take action against them.  They may not raise their voice, and striking a child is now a criminal offense. 

Initially the Swedish family was also patriarchal: members obeyed the principal breadwinner. Now there is full equality, and in Europe as well as the US, same-sex marriage laws refer to parent 1 and parent 2 instead of father and mother, and it’s not obvious who is number 1.   

Another thing that surprises foreigners is that most Russians don’t send old people to a retirement home or turn grown-up children out of the house. Even in small apartments they live together. 

Family is the most important thing for Russians. It’s in their roots, and they don’t always let others into it. So it’s no coincidence that Russian parents fear their family values could be ruined if Russia were forced to adopt the European standards the Swede was questioning.     CONTINUE READING