You’d think being President of the United States would be one of the toughest jobs in the world, and certainly the toughest in a lifetime. But for the 44th President it means more time with his family. He is a better father, he claims, in an article he’s written for More magazine, which his wife, Michelle, is guest editing this month.
During the early days of fatherhood, Obama was often away for work and struggled to find time to spend with his girls. Nowadays, he’s helped coach Sasha’s basketball team and has been able to watch some of Malia’s tennis matches.
Moving to the White House has made family life more “normal”, claims the President, whose work is scheduled around dinner with the family.
“At 6:30pm, no matter how busy I am, I leave work to go upstairs and have dinner with my family. That’s inviolable. My staff knows that it pretty much takes a national emergency to keep me away from that dinner table,” writes Obama.
“So for an hour or so at dinner, my focus is not on my day, but on theirs. I ask Sasha and Malia the usual annoying parental questions: How was school? What are your friends up to? Have you done your homework? What are you thinking about? In return, they spend a lot of time teasing me about my big ears or stodgy suits — and Michelle is always happy to join them.”
Obama also reveals his wife is “the rock of our family” and writes about Michelle bearing the brunt of raising their daughters despite working as well.
“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.”
And as he enjoys his second term of the presidency and spends time with his family “almost every night”, the highlight for the father-of-two is rarely diplomacy and policy related.
“The highlight of my day is just listening to [my daughters’] 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.”
You can read the article in full here.
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