Lost in translation

So after much thought and several false starts, I got our Family/House rules down on paper. As previously stated, it was much more difficult than I had anticipated. They are by no means all encompassing, but they're a good start, I think.

Family/House Rules

-Brush teeth twice daily; once after breakfast and again at night before bed .

-Wash hands after using the toilet and before every meal.

-Shower AT LEAST every other day. Sometimes, depending on our activities and the weather, it will be every day.

-Fresh, clean clothes (including underwear) are to be worn every day. Place dirty clothes in the proper basket. Host Mom will wash them for you.

-When the bathroom door is closed, someone may be using the shower or the toilet. Please knock before entering.  

-Being part of a family means sharing, taking turns, and compromising. No one in this house gets their own way all the time.  

-Conflicts should not be resolved with hitting, biting, punching, slapping, pinching or kicking.  If there is a problem, we will talk, as best we can, and figure out what we can do about it.

-Only adults are allowed to use the computers, except when using them to help translate.

-No one in this house is perfect, not even the adults. Mistakes will be made and rules will be broken. If you are in the wrong, say “I’m sorry” and try to make it right.

-Most of the toys in this house belong to everyone. If you want to play with something that no one else is using, there is no need to ask. But if the toy is being used, please ask before taking it.

-TV/Video game time is allowed, but limited.

-Furniture is for sitting on, not jumping or climbing on.

-Everyone will pick up after themselves. If you get it out, put it away when you’re done with it.

-“Play shoes” are not to be worn in the house. Please take them off in the laundry room.

-We pray before all meals.

-We attend church as a family, every Sunday. 

I'm sure as the weeks go on, I'll wish I would have added a few more, but for now it will give Vlad a starting point. I felt a little weird about putting the hygiene items on there, but I'm told they're absolutely necessary. I would add that they are good reminders for my own kids, as Joe would love to reduce his teeth brushing quota to once a week whether he needed it or not. And changing underwear? Again, once a week is perfectly acceptable to my children. Although maybe I shouldn't complain as my laundry load is significantly lighter when I've forgotten to remind them to change their underwear.

I was lucky enough- by one of those friend of a friend connections- to find a local seminary student who is from Ukraine, willing to translate the house rules and a letter of welcome into Russian.
After a couple of emails back and forth, I learned the following:

-The phrase "play shoes" does not translate in Russian or Ukrainian. Evidently, they don't normally wear shoes in the house. So when kids go to play outside they wear shoes, and in the house they take them off, and sometimes wear slippers. However, they have "everyday" shoes (kids wear them whenever they go outside to play or do stuff), and "Sunday" shoes (these are the shoes they wear just to go to church, or on a special occasion).

-Laundry room and Laundry basket don't translate either. Alina, the student who translated for me said: 

"Re: laundry basket - I translated it, but in Ukraine we do not use a laundry basket, and, especially, in the orphanage I do not know how they deal with their laundry. In Ukraine people have one basket next to the washing machine in the house and people put dirty clothes there. In the orphanage I ministered in, the kids would usually put their clothes back into their closets, and a few days later they would check what clothes are dirty and wash them. So, just a note, when this boy comes, explain him (or just show) what you mean by a laundry basket.

Also, in Ukraine we usually do not have laundry rooms. The washing/dryer machines are somewhere in the house (usually in the "bathroom" room), but they are not in a separate room. Again, I translated "laundry room" into Russian, but he probably wont know what that is or he might have a different idea about it (usually if the orphanage has a "laundry room", it is usually in a different, separate from the living apartments, building)."

Not a big deal, but good to know. 

So now that that's over with, the next item on my "Getting ready for Vlad" agenda is to come up with some sort of English curriculum. Luckily, there are TONS of resources at the library and online (check out www.livemocha.com).  The problem is, I don't know how much English he already has under his belt.  What he does- or doesn't know, kind of determines where I start... so I'm not quite sure what to do about that.

He'll be here in 2 1/2 weeks. I don't know yet if he know's he's coming. 

And if he does know-- is he as nervous as I am?