Obamas want their daughters to do 'real hard work'

Malia Obama, 15, recently landed a job as a production assistant on the set of CBS' Extant, and it looks like her parents may have influenced her decision to work this summer.

Both Barack and Michelle Obama worked minimum-wage jobs before earning law degrees, and Reuters reports that they want their children to have similar experiences.

"We are looking for opportunities for them to feel as if going to work and getting a paycheck is not always fun, not always stimulating, not always fair," Barack Obama told Parade. "But that's what most folks go through every single day."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

The interview comes in anticipation of Monday's summit on the Obama administration's plan to help working families, particularly those working at the minimum wage level. In the interview, the Obamas also shared details of their struggles with performing low-paying jobs while raising young children.

"I think every kid needs to get a taste of what it's like to do that real hard work," said Michelle Obama.