My name is Alexander. Well, I am 13 and live in a happy family made up of my mum, dad and my younger brother, Oleg, who is eight. My Dad Vladimir is an electrician and works at a plant. He fixes electric motors for factories. The job is ok I think but my dad always tells me to study better, so, I can get a different occupation when I am bigger. My mum, Natalie, works in a supermarket which is a useful job because she gets discounts on food and brings home tasty sweets and chocolate, occasionally new computer games which Oleg and I have never played before.

Oleg, my brother, is quite fun to have around. He is very smart and likes drawing much which is good but lately he has been a bit of a pain wanting to play my games on dad’s laptop. This leads to arguments sometimes and mum keeps telling me to share more with Oleg. I like going to meet my friends in the park after school. We practice with our skateboards doing tricks. However, every day I must pick up my brother and take care of him which means I have to bring him with me to the park. This is fine but he wants to do the same tricks as me and my friends but he is too small and sometimes scrapes his knee or hurts himself and mum, of course, punishes me when this happens and says that I should not let Oleg do it. But I’m proud that he does. No other eight years old in the neighbourhood can match him I’m certain!