Executive Privilege
August 17, 2009
What would you do if you were president of the United States, one of the most powerful people in the world?
If you were Barak Obama, you would make it a priority to have dinner with your family. The President has breakfast with his children every day. And here is a quote from a story in the Washington Post that describes how he feels about family dinners:
"Advisers said Obama will continue to board Air Force One every week, for reasons both political and psychological. His only caveat is that an effort be made to get him home in time for dinner. "Because of Obama's travel schedule during the long campaign, it has been more than two years since the Obamas enjoyed regular family dinners. That time at the table with his daughters is what Obama looks forward to all day, staffers said."
After dinner, it's back to work for the Chief Executive. But keeping that family time sacred is a part of the Obama strategy for coping with a high stress job.
If regular family meals help to ground him, imagine what they can do for those of us who are only responsible for our own little piece of the world.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
