在8年的白宫生涯里，总统巴拉克·奥巴马和第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马用激情、智慧和口才征服和感染着许多人。然而，对于他们来说，成为两个女儿称职的父母才是最重要的工作。在总统交接之际，我们一起来回忆一下奥巴马夫妇的教育语录吧，让我们成为孩子更好的父母！

“Above all, children need our unconditional love — whether they succeed or make mistakes; when life is easy and when life is tough.” ― Barack Obama, 2011

最为重要的是，孩子们需要我们付出无条件的爱，无论他们是取得了成功还是犯了错误，无论生活是舒适还是艰难。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2011

“I love our daughters more than anything in the world ― more than life itself. And while that may not be the first thing that some folks want to hear from an Ivy-league-educated lawyer, it is truly who I am. So for me, being Mom-in-Chief is, and always will be, job number one.” ― Michelle Obama, 2015

我爱我们的女儿超过世界上任何一样东西，甚至超过生命本身。可能很多人觉得这不会是一个常青藤大学毕业的律师所说的话，但这就是真正的我。所以对我来说，做一个“首席妈妈”，一直是我最重要的工作。——米歇尔·奥巴马，2015

“What I’ve realized is that life doesn’t count for much unless you’re willing to do your small part to leave our children — all of our children — a better world. Any fool can have a child. That doesn’t make you a father. It’s the courage to raise a child that makes you a father.” ― Barack Obama, 2008

我认识到，如果你不愿意为我们的孩子——所有我们的孩子，作出一丁点贡献而为他们留下一个更美好的世界的话，生活就没有意义。任何人都可以有个孩子，但这并不会使你成为一个父亲，是养育孩子的勇气使你真正地成为一个父亲。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2008

“That’s what being a parent is all about — those precious moments with our children that fill us with pride and excitement for their future, the chances we have to set an example or offer a piece of advice, the opportunities to just be there and show them that we love them.” ― Barack Obama, 2011

这些就是为人父母的全部：那些和孩子们一起度过的珍贵时光让我们对他们的未来充满骄傲和欣喜；那些我们为他们树立榜样或提供建议的机会；那些我们仅仅是站在那里向他们表达我们的爱的时候。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2011

“With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models.” ― Michelle Obama, 2016

我们说的每句话，做的每件事，孩子们都在看着。作为父母，我们是他们最重要的榜样。——米歇尔·奥巴马，2016

“[E]very father has a personal responsibility to do right by our kids. All of us can encourage our children to turn off the video games and pick up a book. All of us can pack a healthy lunch for our son, or go outside and play ball with our daughter. And all of us can teach our children the difference between right and wrong, and show them through our own example the value in treating one another as we wish to be treated.” ― Barack Obama, 2011

每个父亲都有责任为孩子们树立榜样，教育他们做正确的事情。我们都能鼓励孩子们关掉游戏、捡起书本。我们都能为儿子准备健康的午餐，或与女儿一起外出打球。我们都能教育孩子们区分对错，并且以自己为榜样，让他们看到，我们希望别人怎样对待自己，就应该怎样对待别人。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2011

“It’s a wonderful thing if you are married and living in a home with your children, but don’t just sit in the house and watch ‘Sports Center’ all weekend long. That’s why so many children are growing up in front of the television. As fathers and parents, we’ve got to spend more time with them, and help them with their homework, and replace the video game or the remote control with a book once in a while.” ― Barack Obama, 2008

结婚成家、儿女绕膝，是一件再好不过的事情了，但不要只是整个周末泡在家里看看“体育中心”节目。许多孩子就是因为有这样的父亲而只能傍着电视机长大。作为父亲，作为家长，我们应该在他们身上花更多的时间，帮助他们完成作业，时不时地让他们抛开手中的游戏机或电视遥控器而捧上一本书。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2008

“When a father puts in long hours at work, he’s praised for being dedicated and ambitious. But when a mother stays late at the office, she’s sometimes accused of being selfish, neglecting her kids.” ― Michelle Obama, 2016

当一个父亲长时间地工作，他会被称赞是专注有抱负。但是，当一个母亲在办公室待到很晚，她就会被指责是自私，疏忽她的孩子。——米歇尔·奥巴马，2016

“Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys ... Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma’s house ... and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.” ― Michelle Obama, 2012

我们搬去华盛顿前的生活充满着简单的快乐……周六足球比赛，周日在祖母家……我和巴拉克的约会之夜是共进晚餐或者一场电影，因为作为一个筋疲力尽的妈妈，我没办法一直保持清醒。——米歇尔·奥巴马，2012

“As fathers, we need to be involved in our children’s lives not just when it’s convenient or easy, and not just when they’re doing well — but when it’s difficult and thankless, and they’re struggling. That is when they need us most.” Barack Obama, 2009

作为父亲，我们需要参与到孩子们的生命中去，不仅是方便或容易的时候，也不仅是他们做得很好的时候，而是要在困难和徒劳的时候，在他们奋斗的时候。这才是他们最需要我们的时候。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2009

“[P]ass along the value of empathy to our children. Not sympathy, but empathy ― the ability to stand in somebody else’s shoes; to look at the world through their eyes. Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in ‘us,’ that we forget about our obligations to one another. There’s a culture in our society that says remembering these obligations is somehow soft ― that we can’t show weakness, and so therefore we can’t show kindness. But our young boys and girls see that. They see when you are ignoring or mistreating your wife. They see when you are inconsiderate at home; or when you are distant; or when you are thinking only of yourself. And so it’s no surprise when we see that behavior in our schools or on our streets. That’s why we pass on the values of empathy and kindness to our children by living them. We need to show our kids that you’re not strong by putting other people down – you’re strong by lifting them up. That’s our responsibility as fathers.” ― Barack Obama, 2008

身为父亲，我们应该传递给我们的子女一种同理心的人生价值观。不是同情怜悯，而是同理心——能设身处地的为他人着想，将心比心；能从别人的角度看待这个世界。有时候我们是如此轻易地执着于“我们”，而忘了我们彼此之间所应承担的责任。我们的社会有一种文化观念，认为牢记这些责任是一种软弱的表现——我 们不应该显得软弱，因此我们不应该对人表示关爱。但是，我们年轻的孩子们会观察到这一点。他们会看到你对妻子置之不理或者拳打脚踢，他们会看到你在家里毫不体谅别人的感受，以及你的冷漠、自私，所以在学校或在街上看到同样举止行为是不足为奇的。这就是为什么我们要把同理心和善良传递给孩子的原因。我们需要给孩子做出榜样，让他们知道，强者不是把别人击倒，而是把别人扶起来。这就是我们作为父亲应该负起的责任。——巴拉克·奥巴马，2008