There’s a new Mom-in-Chief in the White House. We have not seen this role truly filled since now Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, was First Lady. In what ways is Michelle Obama a prominent figure for mothers across the nation? Why is Mrs. Obama placing so much emphasis on being a mother?
First of all, she has two young daughters. Malia and Sasha are 10 years- and 7 years- old respectively. The age of her daughters has everything to do with Mrs. Obama’s focus on motherhood in the White House. She wants her daughters to remain humble amidst the chaos still resonating from the election win and the first few months in the White House itself. The girls make their own beds, clean their rooms, and perform other chores that may be considered typical among households across the United States. Both Obamas, mom and dad, go to their daugheters’ parent-teacher conferences and while it may not be so easy for President Obama to attend all games, Michelle is sure to be at all of Malia’s soccer games. Michelle Obama has even discussed baking with her daughters, although most meals are left up to the White House chefs. Regardless of who makes the meals, Obama wants her family to remain as “normal” as the Barack Obama’s Presidency allows, which is a large undertaking. So just how does she relate to mothers across the country?
Ideas about Michelle Obama as an ideal mother differ across the nation. Perhaps more importantly, these ideas come from various degrees of working mothers. There are some who believe that Michelle Obama should not take the back seat because Barack is President. She has a list of credentials and accomplishments that suggest she could and possibly should be doing more. These working women say that Obama should not hold back on her career because of her children. Arguably, Michelle Obama has an even greater opportunity to take both roles; that as a mother and as a career women.
Mrs. Obama has a tremendous opportunity as the First Lady to continue to be a role model and mother to her daughters as well as taking charge of issues important to the American people. One such issue that Obama has taken to heart is the family. She has invited military moms, single moms and working moms to the White House to talk about problems they face in hopes of understanding what is important to different groups of family and what they would like to see change in the new administration. It is also an opportunity for others to see just what the Obamas are about.
Michelle Obama is focusing on motherhood because it is important to her. She was, after all, a mother before she became First Lady. Her spotlight on being a mom helps demonstrate that women can work, lead success lives and still be a part of their childrens’ lives. It is true that she is not faced with many of the challenges facing families in the United States, but, as mentioned earlier, she has made an attempt to try and understand what the families are dealing with.
The Obamas have only been in the White House for two short months, but the buzz surrounding them has yet to subside. So, while the nation faces certain economic insecurity, is a Mom-in-Chief more important than a First Lady? Perhaps the focus on families is even more important during these times. Relationships may be more strained due to the fears of layoffs and paying for college. Many moms are seeking compensation for caring for children as the price of childcare rises and funds allotted cannot match up. This truly cannot all just be about monetary compensation.
Yet, maybe we are all missing something. Although it is not always practical (or possible)…what happened to the extended family? Michelle Obama’s mother has joined the family in the White House to look after the girls with Michelle as well as when she has to be away. Is it uncommon now for a grandmother or grandfather to look after a grandchild? What else can be done to ease the pressures put on these working, single, and military moms? As of now, I do not think there is a true answer to that question and we may not even get a clue as to what Mrs. Obama thinks about this issue in the next few months. Most unfortunately, there are more pressing concerns occupying America’s mindset. Still, those same concerns are putting pressures on families and sooner or later, families will, once again, come to the forefront of debate when the economy becomes more stable.
No comments:
Post a Comment