Obama: White House life is ‘normal’ for first family
WASHINGTON — President Obama says he was worried that becoming president would mean even less time for family. But in a magazine column to be published next week, Obama says he was surprised to find the opposite is true.
“Being in the White House has made our family life more ‘norÂmal’ than it’s ever been,” he writes. “To our surprise, moving to the White House was really the first time since the girls were born that we’ve been able to gather as a family almost every night.”
Obama’s reflections on fatherhood come in a guest column in More , where First Lady Michelle Obama happens to be serving a stint as guest editor. She asked her president-husband to reflect on family life for the magazine’s “Second Sex” column. The headline: “How the presidency made me a better father.”
Family life was tougher when Obama was a state legislator in Illinois and a U.S. senator, which required three-day trips to Springfield and Washington away from family, he wrote.
“I helped out, and I saw myself as a pretty enlightened guy. But the truth was, I helped on my terms and on my schedule, and the expectations and the burden disproportionately—and unfairly—fell on Michelle, as happens to many women,” Obama said.
At the White House — where mother-in-law Marian lives and helps with the kids — the daily commute home from the Oval Office is just a few minutes and parent-teacher conferences, tennis matches and dance recitals are just a short motorcade ride away.
“I’ve even experienced what all dads dread: watching my daughter go to her first prom. In high heels,” he wrote. “So it’s not always easy being a father of teenage girls. But it is pretty good to live above the store.”
Honestly, a certain solemnity should be held during the pardoning of a turkey’s life! The girls strike the appropriate demeanor in 2013 during the pardoning ceremony. National Turkey Federation Chairman John Burkel, left, of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, keeps the 2013 National Thanksgiving Turkey still as President Obama pardons “Popcorn” with his daughters Sasha Obama, 12, and Malia Obama, 15 on Nov. 27, 2013.Â
First Lady Michelle Obama, center, her daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, second from left, are accompanied by Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, third from right, watch students demonstrating remote control mechanical robots at the Beijing Normal School, a school that prepares students to attend universities abroad in Beijing, China on March 21, 2014.Â
First lady Michelle Obama, left, watches as her daughter Malia adjusts the collar for her sister Sasha, right, as they walk out to welcome the Official White House Christmas Tree ceremony at the White House on Nov. 28, 2014. This year’s White House Christmas Tree, is a White Fir grown by Chris Botek, Christmas Tree Farmer from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Penn., his father Francis Botek is third from left. Dogs Bo Obama, left, and Sunny Obama also participated.Â
The column shed light on the daily rituals of family life in the Obama White House, like the 6:30 p.m. dinners in the Family Dining Room that Obama called “sacrosanct.”
“That’s inviolable. My staff knows that it pretty much takes a national emergency to keep me away from that dinner table,” Obama said.
“The highlight of my day is just listening to their thoughts about the world and seeing what smart, funny, kind young women they’ve become. That hour recharges me and gives me perspective. And those moments where I can just be Dad—even if it’s ‘Daaaaaaad’ — well, there’s nothing better,” Obama writes.
Obama’s column appears in an issue with Michelle Obama on the cover. It’s on newsstands next Tuesday.
Follow Gregory Korte on Twitter @gregorykorte
