Sergey Levkovich met with students of the Vitebsk Veterinary Academy as part of a unified information day
The meeting evolved into a kind of briefing, during which the Presidential Aide stated that he was ready to answer any questions.
– How do you manage to combine work and personal life?
– Personal life is my family: wife, children. My family has not yet moved to Vitebsk, I visit them once every week or two and try to spend as much time as possible with my children. Here, I work from morning until late evening. The Vitebsk region is interesting and challenging; I have to attend many meetings, and I try and want to be useful, to do everything possible to resolve certain problems. Many, even among the leaders, say they don't have enough time for anything. I am convinced that this is not true. When you come to work and are engaged in your business, then you can get everything done and have a day off.
– What advice would you give to a future young specialist about where to start their career path and what mistakes to avoid?
– I asked this question when I was studying to be an animal breeder in Grodno to one of the agricultural organization leaders who was giving us a lecture. He replied: start with order and discipline. You shouldn't be afraid of difficulties; they are inevitable in any field of activity. The most difficult thing is relationships within a team. There will always be people you don't like or who don't like you. You need to take this more lightly, and at work, do your job as professionally and qualitatively as possible, strive to improve. If, for example, you have obtained a veterinarian specialty, then set a goal to be the best. Today, the value of a highly qualified specialist is very high; it allows you to stand firmly on your feet and move confidently through life.
Family helps to overcome difficulties at work. When you come home and a loving wife is waiting for you, all problems become secondary. Therefore, do not delay starting a family.
– What child-rearing methods do you use?
– The main thing in raising a child is your own example: your attitude towards life, loved ones, and behavior in society.
– What traditions do you maintain in your family?
– I like to cook. Nothing special, ordinary dishes: fried potatoes, draniki. The children eat with pleasure.
– How to become a good family man?
– Personal ambitions should take a back seat, and family interests should come first. When both think this way, the relationship only gets stronger over the years.
– What are your children interested in?
– The elder son is interested in acting, studies languages, and is learning to play the guitar. The younger one is in the third grade, studies Chinese, we bought him a microscope, and he is inseparable from it. I call him a future veterinarian or doctor.
– Are you a strict father, or is your wife stricter?
– I am considered stricter. I don't need to raise my voice for the children to hear me. Not always, of course. There are all sorts of situations. But I am also more forgiving, I can rarely resist when they ask for something, especially the children. My wife takes advantage of this too.
The last question was asked by Irina Subbotina, Associate Professor of the Department of Epizootology and Infectious Diseases of Animals (wife of the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Alexander Subbotin). This prompted journalists to ask who is stricter in their family.
– We try to be kind and understanding parents, – replied Irina Subbotina. – Not so much strict as fair. The main thing is to say it in such a way that the child understands that they are doing something wrong. It's not about strictness, but about clarity. My husband explains some issues more clearly, and I explain others. Sometimes we act together so that the children hear us. We love our children and try to make sure they always understand us. I hope we succeed.