DEC 29, 2001 SAT
Everyone works hard in Putin family
MOSCOW - Russian First Lady Lyudmila Putin said in an interview published yesterday that her husband spends almost all his time on work and that they have tried to raise their two daughters to be disciplined workers as well.
The lengthy interview published in the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily gives a rare glimpse into President Vladimir Putin's family life, which he has largely tried to shield from the public. Unlike her predecessor Naina Yeltsin, Mrs Putin has appeared rarely on her own in public, visiting schools, hospitals and prisons for women and minors.
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She said she was concerned about juvenile crime and wanted to draw attention to the problem through her prison visits.
The President was first of all her husband, she said, and she discussed problems with him 'as a wife, as a woman'.
'Although this is admittedly difficult. The President devotes practically all his time to work,' she said.
'But when we touch on some problem, I talk about my attitude to it, and I even argue sometimes...though our points of view coincide more often than not.'
Mrs Putin said she had virtually no time to go to the theatre or to attend exhibits, except in an official capacity, and she followed the news mainly through the Internet or television.
When asked if she had any secrets on how to bring up children, the First Lady said her husband had already written about the importance of raising a family in an atmosphere of love. Children should also be instilled with good work habits, she added.
Mrs Putin said parents should not try to impose their own desires on their children, who should be given choices. --AP
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