Michelle Obama: ‘Love Your Son, But Raise Him, Too’
Former first lady shares some advice on parenting the future men of the world.
Michelle Obama wants the mothers of sons not just to love their sons, but raise them, too. The former first lady this week offered up some advice for parents of sons in the latest episode of her podcast IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson in her conversation with another mother of sons and famed radio host, podcaster, newly-minted golfer, and “Voice of New York,” Angie Martinez.
“And people say mothers raise their girls and love their sons,” said Obama, the mother of two daughters, Malia and Sasha. “And I’d say love your son, but raise him, too. Raise him to be as strong as, you know, he’s going to have to be.”
Obama went on to suggest teaching boys and young men how to deal with the traffic stop and also how to communicate in a marriage, be a listening father, a compassionate neighbor and a voting citizen. And also to be “somebody who’s going to pay attention and care about something outside of himself.”
“If you’re thinking about that human, then all these choices become a little more clear,” Obama said. “It’s about what he needs as a grown man in the world.”
To that, Martinez quipped: “You should have thrown a boy in the mix.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t have a boy,” Obama said. “Because he would have been a ‘Barack Obama.’”
“It would have been amazing!” Martinez said.
“Ooh. No,” Obama said. “I would have felt for him.”
Listen to the full podcast.
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