Brought to you by: Mercy Hospital


In raising children, how would you stack up to the president and first lady?

 
By Amy Graff | Published: March 19, 2009    Comment on this article Leave a comment

Consider the challenge in parenting when you’re the American president. Your schedule for the day includes a financial summit, a big speech in Congress, a quick trip from Andrews Air Force Base to Phoenix — do you make it home to dinner with the family that night?

Multimedia

NewsOK Related Articles

Apparently, you do if you’re Barack Obama.

Over the past several months, Barack and Michelle Obama have shared with the press their stalwart commitment to their daughters, Sasha and Malia. Michelle Obama repeatedly tells reporters that her girls come first. And even in the White House, with dozens of household staff members ready to pick up toys, the first lady strives to teach her girls responsibility. Yes, Sasha and Malia make their own beds.

In fact, the Obamas are so seemingly outstanding that they’re raising the bar for parents across the country. If Barack Obama can work on solving the world’s problems and then make it to his daughter’s basketball game, shouldn’t all moms and dads be attending their children’s sporting events?

Take the quiz
How does your parenting stack up against Barack and Michelle Obama’s? Are you equally dedicated? To find out, respond to the 12 questions below and give yourself a point for every "yes” answer. Then read on for some advice.

1. Do your children make their own beds?

Yes or no?

In an interview with ABC News, Michelle said she told White House employees, "Don’t make their beds. Make mine. Skip the kids. They have to learn these things.”

2. Are your children in their beds by 8 p.m.?

Yes or no?

In the Obama White House, bedtime is 8 p.m. During the presidential campaign, Michelle Obama stuck so firmly to the bedtime rule that Barack Obama sometimes had to scramble to catch his daughters awake. "Michelle won’t keep them up just to talk to their father,” Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to the president and a family friend, told The New York Times in 2007. "Bedtime is part of their normalcy. It isn’t going to be interrupted because he’s at a fundraiser.”

3. Do your children set their own alarm clocks and get themselves up for school in the morning?

Yes or no?

Sasha and Malia get themselves up and ready in the morning, just as Michelle Obama did as a child.

Page 1 of 2






Leave a Comment

Thank you for joining our conversation on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy. Please help by flagging comments that violate these guidelines. Posts that contain obscene or vulgar language will be immediately flagged and not posted.

If you prefer your thoughts to appear in The Oklahoman, we encourage you to submit a letter to the editor.

Would you like to leave a comment?

Log in or sign up (it's free).

comments powered by Disqus


Woman is 51 But Looks 25
Mom publishes simple wrinkle secret that has angered doctors...
ConsumerLifestyles.org
FHA Cuts Refi Requirement
Rates Hit 3.01% APR! Calculate New Mortgage Payment Now.
www.MortgageRatesExperts.com

Life Photo Galleriesview all