Olga Lapochkina from Vitebsk became a laureate of the regional prize named after Hero of the Soviet Union Zinaida Tusnolobova-Marchenko
The name of Olga Lapochkina, an extracurricular education teacher at the Vitebsk Regional Palace of Children and Youth, is today among the women laureates of the Hero of the Soviet Union Zinaida Tusnolobova-Marchenko Prize. This high award is given to mothers with many children who are successfully raising children. And Olga holds a worthy place among them. Together with her husband Oleg, they are raising 12-year-old Mikhail, 8-year-old Maria, and the youngest Aristarkh, who will turn 4 in a few days.
Misha studies at Secondary School No. 40 and Music School No. 2. The boy plays the trumpet, hosts events at the city and republican levels, attends the "Kaleidoscope" theater studio, and is involved in theatrical creativity. Mikhail is a participant in various projects, for example, in "Living Classics" he became a finalist, received a voucher to the "Zubronok" camp, and was also invited to the presidential New Year's tree ceremony among other gifted children.
Masha is also very active. Her talented mother, as a music teacher, works with her on pop vocals. The girl is already known to the journalistic community after performing the young journalists' anthem at the opening of the new season at the Media Laboratory of the regional newspaper "Vitebskiye Vesti". Like her mother, she loves playing the piano, and also enjoys sports: she is involved in short track and freestyle skiing. As a true girl, she is also drawn to decorative and applied arts. The youngest member of the family, Aristarkh, is also searching for his hobby. His parents take him to acrobatics and dancing, and introduce him to sports. Needless to say, the name given at birth (which translates from ancient Greek as "head of the best") obliges him to choose something worthy.
Oleg and Olga Lapochkin are united not only by a strong feeling for each other but also by a common cause: they are hosts, animators, musicians, and vocalists. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are raising children to be like themselves – open, positive, and creative.
– We strive to ensure that they are not deprived of anything. Delicious home-cooked meals, which, by the way, no one from the older family members shirks preparing, even Misha actively participates, good conditions for development, a cozy apartment – this is far from all that children need. It is important to find the seed of a creator in each of them and nurture this treasure. And also, the cobbler should not go without shoes, so it is a family tradition to organize holidays for each of our children on their birthday, – says Olga. – My husband and I always consider their wishes, listen to them, and prepare. Time flies relentlessly, and we want their childhood to be filled with as many positive moments as possible, spent with the closest people.
The family not only relaxes at their dacha in the Shumilinsky district. Olga and Oleg believe that city children should be taught household chores, and feasible work on the land: someone picks apples in the garden, someone learns to handle a shovel.
– We were raised this way, and we adhere to these principles. Everyone should understand the value of labor. This way, children will grow up adapted to life, – the Lapochkins are unanimous.
Love and creativity are the powerful unifying principles of this family. There is even a song "My Razam" ("We Are Together"), which Olga wrote in a burst of inspiration, and all the Lapochkins perform it. In essence, it carries a great patriotic message of a person who loves their native Belarus and sees a worthy future for their family.
– Usually, wives are taken to Russia, but I convinced my Russian husband, who worked in Moscow, that living in Belarus is great. It is a very socially developed country. All conditions are created here to realize oneself in one's favorite work, raise children, and build the house of one's dreams, – believes Olga.