Michelle Obama

Recently, and it would have to be recently, I saw a news video about the Obama girls and if they can have a normal childhood in the Whitehouse. Mrs. Obama impressed me with her answers during the segment. She said, and I am paraphrasing here, "The Whitehouse staff and I are going to have a chat. The girls will be making their own beds."

The importance of making one's bed; the importance of being held responsible for one's own being and for others. Mrs. Obama could easily give her girls the easy way out, and for the next four, maybe more, years let them be pampered and slide away from their personal responsibilities. Afterall there is a house staff to pick up their dirty socks and bus their dishes, as well as make their beds. But her answer tells me she is focused on raising children that will be held accountable, and learn that despite their Pennsylvania Ave. address, they will learn responsibility.

We all can't live in the Whitehouse, but shouldn't all children be given the same opportunities and education? All too often we try to give our children more than we had. We try to insure their lives are better, more pampered, with more stuff and better bells and whistles. But is this good?

From what I can see, all we have done, as a generation is to raise the level of entitlement in our children. More often than not I hear, "GIMME," rather than, "What can I get for you?" More often than not, dishes are left on the table, or in the sink. The younger set need to learn to wash them. Or at least put them in the dishwasher. More often than not toys are left out in the yard getting ruined by the weather. Children need to learn to pick them up, for they will not be replaced. Sometimes having too much is not a goodthing.

Mrs. Obama seems to get this. As a mom, she has caught my eye. She has my attention. As the First Lady the greatest service she could do for this country is to be a mom with responsibility on her agenda.