Although First Lady Michelle and President Barack Obama certainly could provide their daughters, Malia and Sasha, the latest in digital devices, the Obama parents have chosen to raise their kids in a low-tech home environment. A recent New York Times article looking at Mrs. Obama’s parenting style reveals that her girls don’t use the computer for entertainment or watch TV on school nights. And on ABC’s The View, President Obama declared that his daughters have grown up with strong limits on their phones. Why do Mr. and Mrs. Obama set such tech rules, especially amid a culture that is ever quicker to hand kids gadgets? The First Lady says that the TV and computer (unless school-related) are “a privilege that we don’t value deeply.” Also, the Obama parents’ high education level (e.g., both attended Harvard Law) likely plays a role, as the children of college graduates tend to spend less entertainment time on screens than kids whose parents aren’t college grads.
Kimberton Waldorf School
Education That Matters
