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Family Portrait: Akol, Martha, Deng, Adut and Ngong

Erinn Simon Mar 3, 2020 10:00 AM
Sam Simon
Akol Aguek (right), an international student advisor at the University of Vermont, and Martha Machar (left), deputy finance officer for the city of South Burlington, with kids Deng, 13, Ngong, 4, and Adut, 6

Kids VT: Martha and Akol, you're parents of three kids in three different schools, and you both work. That sounds busy!

Martha: Adut and Ngong go to afterschool at the same place, so we can pick them both up at the same time.

Deng: And I usually have basketball practice after school.

KVT: Deng, your dad said you play for Mini Metro [competitive league].

Deng: And I also play for my middle school team.

Akol: And he just tried out for another team — a travel team — AAU basketball.

KVT: That's a lot of basketball. Adut, do you play any sports?

Adut: I play soccer and tennis!

KVT: So this is a very active family! I'm always curious about whether parents feel that it's more challenging parenting kids when they're very young, or as they grow and have more of their own interests and activities.

Martha: When kids are small, you're always trying to find something to entertain them at home. But now, as they grow, we're on the road a lot. We're never home!

KVT: Is there something you all like to do together?

Adut: We do puzzles!

Deng: And we play cards.

Akol: And we go to a lot of Deng's basketball games as a family, too.