【公共英语】奥巴马父亲节讲话.docVIP

Hi, everybody. This Father’s Day weekend, I’d like to spend a couple of minutes talking about what’s sometimes my hardest, but always my most rewarding job: being a dad. I grew up without my father around. He left when I was two years old, and even though my sister and I were lucky enough to have a wonderful mom and caring grandparents to raise us, I felt his absence. And I wonder what my life would have been like had he been a greater presence. That’s why I’ve tried pretty hard to be a good dad for my own children. I haven’t always succeeded, of course. In the past, my job’s kept me away from home more often than I would have liked to, and the burden of raising two young girls sometimes would fall too heavily on Michelle. But between my own experiences growing up, and my ongoing efforts to be the best father I can be, I’ve learned a couple of things about what our children need most from their parents. First and foremost, they need our time. And more important than the quantity of hours we spend with them is the quality of those hours. Maybe it’s just asking about their day, or taking a walk together, but the smallest moments can have the biggest impact. They also need structure, including learning the values of self-discipline and responsibility. Malia and Sasha may live in the White House these days, but Michelle and I still make sure they finish their schoolwork, do their chores, and walk the dog. And above all, children need our unconditional love, whether they succeed or make mistakes, when life is easy and when life is tough. And life is tough for a lot of Americans today. More and more kids grow up without a father figure. Others miss a father who’s away serving his country in uniform. And even for those dads who are present in their children’s lives, the recession has taken a harsh toll. If you’re out of a job or struggling to pay the bills, doing whatever it takes to keep the kids healthy, happy and safe can understandably take precedence over everything