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I was first introduced to President Barack Obama when my daughter wrote a 6th grade paper on him. You know how as a mom you just know that the “Most Influential Person” paper your kid writes is going to be on you…right? Well, hers was on then Senator Obama. I had to stop and pay closer attention to this man who had my daughter’s attention. The rest is history. We canvassed for him, went to D.C. for 3 days to attend his inauguration and have since been supporters of not just an idealist, a visionary or a president but a man good to his core and believes in who we all are as Americans. In our home he is a hero and we are forever indebted to his service.

They say behind every great man a great woman. I have never seen a First Lady who relishes the success of others like Michelle Obama. Her exemplary leadership and commitment to seeing our girls soar through her numerous initiatives puts her tops in our book. She is brilliant, classy, supportive, graceful and beautiful inside and out. I loved her choice of guests to the State of The Union address. She looked absolutely gorgeous, the strength beside the king 🙂

I on the other hand, was missing my ‪#‎SOTU‬ buddy as she returned to college today. We always watch it together…even though miles apart during this most powerful speech we still managed to bridge the distance.

I shared all this to say how vitally important it is to keep your kids civically engaged. “No matter what you believe,” like the President stated in his speech, you need to be having these important interactions with your kids because they are the future leaders. This Thing Called Parenting calls you to keep them engaged and to be informed about the issues that shape us as a nation so that if they have questions, your narrative is not borrowed from FOX, CNN or MSNBC but comes out of a place of knowledge, experience and conviction.

President Obama has been such an influence in my daughter’s life and for his example of selfless service, we are eternally grateful. If you didn’t watch the #SOTU, I encourage you to take time to do so with your kids.

“Our collective future depends on your willingness to uphold your obligations as a citizen. To vote. To speak out. To stand up for others, especially the weak, especially the vulnerable, knowing that each of us is only here because somebody, somewhere, stood up for us. To stay active in our public life so it reflects the goodness and decency and optimism that I see in the American people every single day.” President Barack Obama. And to pass on the same values to your kids! God bless you!