img src=”https://www.essence.com/dyn/asset.image/news/michelle-obama-daughters-40.jpg” class=”photoLeft” />The First Lady will be featured in the November 2009 issue of U.S. News & World Report. Mrs. Obama penned a captivating commentary on the education system and our youth’s future. Here’s a snippet of the piece:
This is a busy time of year in the Obama household. Like so many parents all across this country, I watch with a mixture of pride and anxiety as my daughters stuff their backpacks, kiss me goodbye, and move ahead in another new school year without so much as a backwards glance.
My girls are now making new friends, tackling challenging new subjects, and moving closer to becoming the strong, confident women I know they can be. But when I see them come home, bursting with excitement about something they have learned or someone they have met, I can’t help but think that some of the most influential people in my daughters’ lives won’t be the ones they socialize with on the playground or read about in the pages of a book-they will be the people who stand up every day in front of their classrooms.
We need parents to do their with leadership at home. We need to set limits and turn off the TV; we need to put away those video games and make sure that homework gets done. We need to reinforce the example that’s being set and the lessons being taught at school and make sure that learning continues at home.
Check out the entire essay in the November 2009 issue of U.S. News & World Report.—BB