JILL FARRIS writes:

As the mother of eight children who writes and speaks on mothering I wanted to add my observation [as to] why Michelle Obama would allow her daughter to hang all over her. It is true (as Kidist Paulos Asrat wrote) that she is a distant mother. Thus, when she is with her children she thinks that physical closeness is proof that she is “close” to her children and that they have a “deep” relationship. Actually, my observation is that mothers who feel guilty and who err on the side of permissiveness because of that guilt, let their children hang all over them. I’ve observed children who play with their mother’s hair and comb it and are allowed to do that even when the mother is visiting with adults.

Of course, these actions are not the sign of a close relationship (as the mother falsely convinces herself) but of disrespect. The pose in the photograph is actually very disrespectful to a mother but Michelle wouldn’t know that because she doesn’t know very much about mothering…not because she only has two children but because she is a feminist and contemplation of such things as mothering and mother/daughter discipline and teaching is “beneath” her.

Laura writes:

This kind of public affection, which is very common today, is disrespectful, as Jill says, to a mother, but also to those who witness it. It is uncomfortable to be with a woman who is entangled with her older children (it is normal to hold and caress a baby in public), stroking, petting and kissing even teenage daughters in front of others. This affection is perfectly fine in private moments, but not in front of others.

I think it is caused by permissiveness, but also something more. Female self-worship seems to have reached an extreme, bizarre intensity. It even expresses itself in physical ways.

                                                         — Comments —

Nicholas the Dragon writes:

I agree that the Obamas demonstrate faux parental affection (not just Michelle but also Our Dear Leader). Love is not just gooey affection as demonstrated in the photograph, but it is also strict discipline of errant loved ones (especially children). Love means not letting those you love stray from truth through negligence on your part. Confrontation hurts everyone involved, but that is because they are in the wrong not you.

I believe that the Obamas believe that they are right not to confront their daughters because they have experienced so much confrontation as liberals and such confrontation hurts. They spare their daughters the pain of confrontation and in one fell swoop deprive them of needed discipline as well.

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