Sasha and Malia - New Home, Same Rules

This is to Chris:

Grandma hasn't been ordered not to help WITH the kids; she has been asked not to help THE KIDS with their chores. In other words, she's not supposed to make their beds for them, clean their rooms for them, or do other tasks that they are supposed to be doing for themselves. I expect that she is allowed to supervise them to make sure they do what they're supposed to and stay out of trouble.

President Barack Obama - Harvard Law School magna cum laude graduate. In office since 1/20/09. Today is 3/7/09. Remember that. My house is a disaster--a mess. I sell it. The mess is still my mess it's just that someone else will have to clean it up. Unless they want to live in it.

That is where President Obama finds himself.

Obama is cleaning up George Bush's mess. It will always be George Bush's mess. Remember that.

Generational theft -- when President Obama looks out his Oval Office window and sees Melia and Sasha playing I believe it is his love for them, and all children, that will lead him to make the best/correct decisions that will bring OUR country back from the brink of disaster.

Thank you President Obama.

I agree w/Nia. I think the Obamas are aware they need to raise their kids to function well in the world, not just now but 10, 20 years from now. They're trying to raise middle-class kids, basically, and I personally think we need about a zillion more of those in the USA right now.

The new administration is trying to grow and strengthen the middle class--the heart, soul, and stabilizing force of the USA--but it's been shrinking and weakening over many years now, so that is a big, big job. The more of us who do our part, try to stay positive, and be patient, the better we *all* will be. If we choose to bicker and insult each other, well, it will be our kids' loss. They'll be screwed, thanks to our petty backbiting and inability to see the big picture.

As for the girls' chores, they seem reasonable, similar to what a lot of kids their age do. I know kids who do much more, but they tend to be homeschooled, so less vulnerable to fluctuating homework loads, etc. I know other kids who do zero. Chores are a dying art in some places, and that's a shame.

regards,
Mary
http://www.squidoo.com/obamaletter

Yes mother is correct. I had governess and had rules.
Best Regards:
Baroness Danuté

Go Michelle how else do wwe get and hold control of our children make brats outof them earlly and suffer thieir entire life restrictions and chores theach responsibility and they will be a s good as the parents WE Hope

Yes, I do believe chores are good for children of all ages, teaches them nothing is given to them even if their parents are famous, or average folks, more of that should be done in homes all over America and just maybe we would have more respect from the young folks coming up today, baggy pants, loud music, just plain disrespect is what we hear alot of today, I was raised to do chores and my children as well makes you a better person plus teaches you a few things how many young ladies know how to sew, knit...how many young men can handle yard chores or fix something around the house we all should teach our sons and daughters the basics and beyond so that they can help themselves and learn to depend on themsevles. Good going to the Obama's family

I think it is great that the girls have chores. I think more parents should be raising their kids the same way. My hat is off to President and Mrs. Obama for continuing with the same parenting they were doing before.

Nia is completely right. I do not think that just because you are a high ranking official or someone who lives the lifestyle out in Hollywood should be trated any different than a commoner. We all came from the same mold at some point and if there were more parents, high ranking or not, in this country that would keep their kids on the straight and narrow just as the Obamas are, this country would be nothing like it is today with kids in juvenille hall and out committing crimes. Kudos to them.

They are keeping it real, I love it Michelle.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippee for Michelle! And thanks for making my life a little easier. While I agree that the girls should be entitled to some privacy, I enjoy being able to turn to my own kids and point out that if the First Daughters have chores, mine have nothing to complain about. I teach school, and I am appalled at how many of my kids think they are contributing to their households by just picking up their rooms. The only child I ever taught who had more responsibilities than that grew up to be an Eagle Scout.

Kudos to Michelle and Barack ooops President Obama. :-) Teaching youth responsibilities is one of the primary functions of parenting.

To victoria. barrack inherited this mess that our economy is in. Bush,the bad president,got us so deep in a hole that it might just take Obama 4 years to get us half way out. And when he runs again and wins he might be able to get us all out of this hole! People are loosing their jobs and families are having less oppurtunities like before. we should all be praying for obama to get us out and sava us! So think again victoria about who created this mess were in! It was bush! obama is saving us!!
maybe you should read up on the news before Obama was president, then you might understand what really happeded and you might be able to comprehend whats happeneing in the real world. . .but then again, thats just a MIGHT.

Big up to Barak and Michelle! They are bringing up their girls as regular kids... not spoiled brats. They have the best attitude a parent can have. I wholeheartedly support the responsibility and values they are instilling in their daughters.

I truly agree with you nia things should not change completely just because your status changes. Being responsible teaches you to respect what you have. THEY WILL BE ADULTS ONE DAY, with there own family to raise with morals and respect for what have.

Speaking as someone who didn't grow up rich but did grow up very spoiled by my father. Kids shouldn't be pampered and treated like they are special because they are not. Besides if parents want real respect from their kids they wouldn't spoil them. Spoiled kids always tend to walk all over their parents and they should remember who bought who into the world. However there has to be a balance too much chores and no fun or space or leniency will make kids fear you. So in actuality one is just as bad as the other. You have to be strict but also let some things go. So the Obamas are doing right and besides no one really likes a know it all or spoiled brat kid.

Michael makes a great point. Kids need both sides of the coin from their parents: limits/structure on one side, warmth/fun on the other. One without the other doesn't work. This is why parenting is so hard! It's a constant balancing act, and esp. tricky if we didn't get that balance as kids.

Not only do spoiled kids walk on their parents, but they can end up resenting them for not providing limits. Hate to admit this, but sometimes at night when I'm trying to clean up or whatever, I turn to "The Real Housewives of Orange County" for some escapist drama. (Husband loves to point out the irony of how, by watching, I'm supporting people I can't stand. Ack those ladies are messed up!) There was an episode where one of the "housewives"--arguably the one with the most heart, of that bunch--attends her son's minor-league baseball game and dares to express pride in him. He goes ballistic and, over dinner with a group of friends and family, heaps one insult after another on his mom, some of it truly hateful. Afterward, she basically takes the blame for his behavior, saying she didn't do enough to stop it when he was growing up. She's still letting him off the hook, even now that he's a young adult. (Maybe "adult" should be in quotes, since mom is still footing the significant bill for this guy's lifestyle.) Meanwhile, he's a depressed-seeming sociopath, unlikely to have a healthy relationship until someone he really, really cares about refuses to tolerate his b**s***.

Sorry to get so judgmental--and waay off topic, vis a vis the Obama girls!--but this is the thanks we can expect if we blow off the limits part of the equation. It's an extreme example--Michael, I'm sure you don't treat your parents that way ;) --but it does happen.

regards,
Mary
http://www.squidoo.com/obamaletter

Shut up !!!!!!!!!