Are you navigating the world of parenting feeling like everyone else has it all figured out except you? The pressure and anxiety of raising children can be overwhelming, especially when your family is in the public eye. Michelle Obama, sharing her experience parenting Malia and Sasha during their White House years, opens up about the guilt and worries she faced.
Michelle Obama’s new book, The Light We Carry, delves into the challenges she encountered and the support she received from her mother, Marian Robinson, who moved into the White House to help. Reflecting on her journey, Michelle discloses her mother’s golden rules of parenting, starting with the importance of teaching kids to wake up themselves.
In a separate discussion, experts weigh in on the age-old dilemma of whether parents should lie to their children about Santa Claus. With insights from philosophy, psychology, and parenting professionals, the debate ranges from encouraging kids to explore their beliefs to preserving the magic of childhood versus opting for honesty.
Switching gears, renowned parenting expert Maggie Dent sheds light on the unexpected life lessons her sons learned from surfing. As summer beckons and beach days await, she uncovers the deeper connections to nature and personal growth that riding the waves can offer children, fostering resilience and a sense of peace amidst the tumult of adolescence.
Best of the Web: Michelle Obama on Mum Guilt and Parenting Rules
Our selection of thought-provoking and useful resources from around the web on educating and raising children, and supporting families.
‘Is everyone doing this perfectly but me?’ Michelle Obama on the guilt and anxiety of being a mother – and her golden parenting rules
(Michelle Obama, via The Guardian)
Parents know the anxiety that comes with the job. Essentially, it’s all about whether you are doing it right, giving your child every chance to blossom into a thriving adult.
Imagine the pressure, then, when your family is among the best known on the planet. Michelle Obama has provided a fascinating insight into what it was like parenting their daughters Malia and Sasha during their eight years at the White House.
In her new book The Light We Carry, the former First Lady writes of the anxiety she felt about the impact on the girls, who were seven and 10 when their father was elected US President in 2008.
Help was at hand in the form of her mother Marian Robinson, who moved into the White House and was an invaluable support.
In this extract from the book, she shares her mother’s golden rules of parenting. Rule Number One is ‘teach your kids to wake up themselves.’
Banner image courtesy of the Barack Obama Presidential Library. Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon.
Three experts on whether we should lie to kids about Santa
(Kellie Scott, ABC Everyday)
The author, a mother of a toddler, is wrestling with seasonal thorny questions. Do you lie to him about Santa’s existence? Should presents from Santa be used as a bribe for being good? And what if his peers don’t get as many presents?
So in search of the answers, expert advice was sought from a university lecturer in philosophy and critical thinking, a university lecturer in psychology, and a well-known parenting expert.
Not surprisingly, there are a range of views. You can encourage kids to reach their own conclusions. The magic of Santa is worth the lie – let kids be kids. And it’s best to be truthful with them.
The author decides that Santa will be part of the festivities – at least until her son works it out.
Why I’m glad my sons took up surfing – Maggie Dent
(Maggie Dent, maggiedent.com)
With the arrival of summer and (hopefully) plenty of beach weather ahead, you may have a child who is interested in surfing.
As this article by one of Australia’s leading parenting experts explains, there’s much more to it than some fun activity in the waves.
‘Surfing has given my sons lessons in life that I’m really grateful for and which I’m not sure we loving parents alone could have delivered.’ she writes.
She lists 10 lessons her four boys learned from surfing. They include a powerful and strong connection to nature.
‘No matter how confusing and stressful the adolescent journey was for my boys, the ocean could hold them with a sense of familiarity and reassure them that all was well in the world.’
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Michelle Obama on Motherhood | Michelle Obama shares insights on the anxiety of parenting while living in the White House. |
| Michelle Obama’s Parenting Rules | She shares her mother’s golden rules of parenting, including teaching kids to wake up themselves. |
| Lying to Kids about Santa | Experts discuss whether it’s acceptable to lie to children about Santa’s existence. |
| Lessons from Surfing | Maggie Dent explains the valuable life lessons her sons learned from taking up surfing. |
