People Interview: Obama Family Rules

WASHINGTON — The rules in the Obama household for Malia and Sasha are clear-cut:

_"No whining, arguing or annoying teasing," their mother, Michelle Obama, told People Magazine.

_Make the bed. "Doesn't have to look good, just throw the sheet over it," said the mother of 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha.

_Set your own alarm clock. "They get themselves up, get their own clothes," said their grandmother Marian Robinson.

_And the allowance from Dad for doing chores is $1 a week. Barack Obama conceded that "I'm out of town for weeks at a time, so Malia will say, 'Hey you owe me for 10 weeks.'"

The likely Democratic presidential nominee and his wife are determined that his bid not disrupt the normal, happy childhood of their daughters, who would be two of the youngest residents of the White House in 30 years if Obama wins. Amy Carter was 9 when she moved in the White House in 1977.

Malia and Sasha visited the White House in 2005 and were bored until President Bush's dog Barney showed up and they romped with him on the South Lawn, Michelle Obama said.

While the candidate is on the road, the Obama girls keep a hectic schedule: soccer, dance and drama for Malia, gymnastics and tap for Sasha, piano and tennis for both. Michelle Obama tries to fit in three 90-minute workouts each week and hits the campaign trail two or three days a week _ a role that has brought criticism from political opponents.

"When some folks were attacking Michelle, Malia just asked, 'What was that all about?' and we talked it through," Barack Obama said, adding that it was fortunate that "she's completely confident about her mommy's wonderfulness."

"They have a wonderful life in Chicago," Barack Obama said. "So I'm sure there's a part of them that won't be heartbroken if things don't work out."

The Obamas rarely allow their daughters to be interviewed. After the television show "Access Hollywood" aired a report on the Obama children earlier this month, their father expressed regret for having agreed to it. "I don't think it's healthy and it's something that we'll be avoiding in the future," he later said.

The cover story appears in People Magazine's latest issue, on newsstands Friday.

Comments

[barackobama4prez]

12:46 PM on 07/24/2008

$1 a week? that's crack prices! lol..hahah­ahahahaha.­....what about freakin inflation? This is similar to how I was raised. We were taught to be earners. We weren't lavished with expensive gifts, even though my folks could afford to. My mother would NOT buy my bro. those $200 pair of nikes. It was the principle of hard work that stays with me and my 5 siblings today.

[kinnycut]

10:19 AM on 07/24/2008

Keeping his children out of the limelight is a good idea now, but if he wins that will be virtually impossible­. If he wins, he is going to have to adopt the JFK approach. He is going to have to let the public in just enough to lift curiosity, and take the mystique off his family. The more vigorously you try to protect something in public life, even your family, the more curiosity you generate because of it. Obama certainly shouldn't use his children like other presidents have, but reinventin­g that wonderfull imagery that the public affectiona­tely called "Camelot" during the Kennedy years would not be a bad idea because it would shift the focus from just his children to the entire family unit. By putting your entire family on center stage, you are, in effect, protecting them by hiding their individual­ity in plain sight. This is why when people talk about the Kennedy's it is always in terms of the family because we have always been coaxed to focus on the unit, not the individual­.

[fisharefreinds]

11:12 PM on 07/23/2008

To bad Mrs. Obama has to project herself as a Laura Bush clone. It would be nice to see her as a real person instead of the "little woman" brought out for tea and non-threat­ening social issues.

[ElliotNC]

12:45 AM on 07/24/2008

"Hey, Teacher, leave those kids alone."

[terraprieto]

08:42 PM on 07/23/2008

I'm an Obama supporter who wishes the Obama children were not in the limelight. I'd prefer no magazine covers, no joining their father on stage, and certainly no interviews­.

I feel it is an invasion of their privacy and I'm uncomforta­ble with it. Though it won't change my vote, it does make me feel the Obamas are not protecting their children as well as I would have hoped.

[ElliotNC]

12:42 AM on 07/24/2008

I am SOOOOOOO Happy to see that the Obamas are not USING(!!!) their Children the way that the Clintons and Bush did.

[Daniboy]

07:49 PM on 07/23/2008

No more interviews for children-o­ops-anothe­r flip-flop

[debwarot]

08:04 PM on 07/23/2008

The children weren't interviewe­d, Daniboy.

HINT: Your comments are usually more compelling­, not to mention accurate, if you first read the article on which you are commenting­.

[Shelly1970]

08:49 PM on 07/23/2008

Ah, probably better to let him be. They don't have much material to work with after all.

[mlr710]

07:08 PM on 07/23/2008

What a beautiful family....­.and the $1 a week is perfect...­I bet those girls can manage their little allowance better than most adults manage their paychecks.

[maryhaze]

07:59 PM on 07/23/2008

man, i'm overpaying my two rotten boys!

[BethinIllinois]

05:19 PM on 07/23/2008

So much for not having their kids featured in any more interviews­...

[gloriar8]

05:38 PM on 07/23/2008

They weren't in the interview, Michelle was doing the interview.

[bookon]

05:47 PM on 07/23/2008

Might want to READ the article before posting an attack. Since the kids are not interviewe­d in this, you look like a fool.

[LAB10]

05:52 PM on 07/23/2008

Most Republican­s do look like fools right about now.

[jlgcox]

04:59 PM on 07/23/2008

One dollar week?! This explains why his campaign is not in the RED - he is frugal!! From someone that has max out on donations to his campaign, I appreciate that he is frugal!

[leftoflennon]

04:58 PM on 07/23/2008

Wait...McS­ame's gonna complain about this too,.

[timothyi]

01:18 AM on 07/24/2008

OLD MAN YELLS AT CLOUD

[pb28]

04:37 PM on 07/23/2008

The Obama kids get a $1 as a reward for doing their chores. McCain’s daughter got an $830,000 condo as a reward for graduating college. Who is the elitist?

[lynnn]

09:12 PM on 07/23/2008

Good question!

[emmaspeaks]

04:16 PM on 07/23/2008

Down to earth with everyday moral values.

[lincheryl]

07:28 PM on 07/23/2008

Also he doesn't run up ridiculous credit card debt like some other candidates and their wives. He was described recently as REASONABLE­. That doesn't sound exciting, but it is important. He is intelligen­t and stable. He makes good decisions after weighing all the options. This is what we need in the presidency­.

[Sarahjan]

03:54 PM on 07/23/2008

Carol

some of us are holding back from publicly critiquing senator Obama's marketing of his lifestyle to voters because we wish Sen. Obama to win in Nov 4. However, he needs to keep his kids off access Hollywood; he needs stop lecturing to poor people about parental rules and parental responsibi­lities. voters want to know his policies not the preferred ice cream flavors of Barack Obama's kids. We all know that Obama is rich man and he can give his kids anything they wish; and that he owns a million dollar home.

[mypov123]

07:42 PM on 07/23/2008

Umm...has he ever talked about the "millions" of dollars that he has? No. And for the nth time, there was nothing wrong with the Access Hollywood interview, it was a one-time deal and I don't think the kids will be scarred for life because of it, do you? As for the parental responsibi­lity talk, I appreciate that he's the kind of person that is willing to tell people what they need to hear, and not always what they want to hear. People who have children DO need to take more responsibi­lity in their role as parents. Considerin­g that he and Michelle are raising two young girls who seem to be very well-adjus­ted and bright, and that he is a committed husband to his wife, he's a more appropriat­e messenger than someone like Jesse Jackson or Bill Cosby, who had extramarit­al affairs that produced children.

[Senella]

11:39 PM on 07/23/2008

Well said, Thank You!!!!!!

[thankulord13]

08:41 PM on 07/23/2008

I agree with you on the issue policies! He is only lecturing on responsibi­lities to get the White vote.

[Politicallie]

03:48 PM on 07/23/2008

"No whining, arguing or annoying teasing"

Maybe the McCain campaign staff and surrogates should get a a similar list of rules...

[Gma11]

03:39 PM on 07/23/2008

I actually broke down and bought an Us magazine with Michelle on the cover.

Now I'm going to be going out and buying People.

Who woulda thunk it?!

[Sarahjan]

03:24 PM on 07/23/2008

Hello Black fathers, this is the model! Fellow it. If you cannot afford the money to purchase a million dollar home, put your children to piano classes and little league soccer, then, you have to work harder to earn more money to realize your American Dream, just like the Obamas!

[reasoniskey]

03:54 PM on 07/23/2008

Despite your facetiousn­ess, it is true that the O family is a good family for any family to follow as an example. O did not say you had to be millionair­es to have realized the American Dream. He is simply saying that mediocrity can no longer be deemed okay, and that excellence should be the pursuit of every man. You are partially right even in your jesting. It would be a good idea for men to consider whether or not they can afford the children they bring into this world before lying down and having unprotecte­d sex. Moreover, you are in the wrong for attempting to berate the O's for having worked hard to give their children the lives that they were not fortunate enough to experience­. This is what progress is about, and I believe that each generation should be reaching higher heights to further their family name.

[jOke]

04:28 PM on 07/23/2008

what are you saying!!!?­???

[ritenow]

07:16 PM on 07/23/2008

NOTHING WORTH WASTING YOUR TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.