‘What I Want From You and Every Child’ – A Letter From Obama to his Daughters Lesson Summary and Explanation in English Class 6th 

Names to remember

  1. Barack Obama: An American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017.
  2. Malia Obama: The older daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.
  3. Sasha Obama: The younger daughter of former U.S. president Barack Obama. Her formal name is Natasha, but she is most often called by her nickname, Sasha.

Introduction

This chapter is about an open letter from Barack Obama to his daughters, Malia and Sasha, appearing in PARADE Magazine on Sunday, January 18, 2009, two days before his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama describes his hopes and dreams for the future with them and with the world. He manages to take a break from his hectic schedule and wrote a letter telling them why he decided to take his family on a great adventure and how they helped to inspire his run for the presidency.

Summary

A letter to Obama’s daughters

 The letter was not only read by 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha but the entire nation. He wrote the letter two days before he was sworn in as President. He describes how as a young man, “I thought life was all about me” but after the birth of his daughters, he realized that his own life wouldn’t count much unless he was able to ensure that they had every opportunity for happiness and fulfilment.

Obama addresses that all children have the right to education

In the letter, he states that he wanted all children to go to schools worthy of their potential. They should have a chance to go to college even if their parents are not rich and get a good job. And the address reads a little like a manifesto as he outlines his aspirations to push the boundaries of discovery so that they would live to see new technologies and inventions that improve the lives of all and make our planet the Earth cleaner and safer. He wanted his children to push their human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

The president also addresses war in his letter

Barack Obama’s letter also addresses war, saying as President he will aim to make sure they happen only for a good reason and the personal responsibility that comes with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation. Obama says that he has learned this lesson from his mother.

He urged both his daughters to help carry on righting the wrongs that they see and working to give others. The chances they have had and he outlines what he wants for them and every child to grow up in a world with no limits on their dreams and no achievements beyond their reach and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build the world.

Obama’s love for his daughters

The President-Elect finished by saying that he was proud of his daughters and he loved them more than they can ever know. And he was grateful every day for their patience, poise, grace, and humor as they prepare to start their new life together in the White House.

Obama shared his hope that as they grew, Sasha and Malia will do their part to help make America a better place. He wanted his daughters to take up that work. Heart-warming words were written by the President sharing his deep love for his daughters.

Conclusion

The letter ended with “Love Dad” but before it reached its conclusion it tugs at the emotions and invokes political passions. Barack Obama was invited by the parade magazine to write on the theme he wants for his children, and to “get personal”. Obama’s two-year battle for the presidency was constructed around his unconventional fusion of the personal and the political.