In this chapter, Obama offers an autobiographical account of his own family life, paired with a discussion of the unique challenges and obstacles that face American families today. Due to changes in the affordability of the accoutrements of middle-class life, many American families are forced to have both parents working full-time outside of the home. This state of affairs can be difficult for all family members, Obama notes, describing his own family’s struggles to maintain balance and assign responsibilities fairly as he and his wife juggle personal and professional commitments. Although he concedes that this situation is not ideal, Obama argues that the Republicans who seek to impose a more traditional family structure are not advancing a realistic solution. He abhors any attempt to legislate personal morality and intimate life choices, while at the same time recognizing that both supportive social policies and personal responsibility are needed to allow children the unshakable foundation of stability and structure that they need to thrive.
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