Raising The Obama Girls In The White House

Dr. Camille Archer, head of the Child and Adolescent Unit at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan stopped by to talk about the challenges the Obama daughters will face during their time in the White House.

The obvious challenge for the girls, said Archer, would be their adjustment from their private lives in Chicago to one in the public limelight. Malia and Sasha, 10 and 7 years old, respectively, will face challenges specific to their ages. Archer noted that it would be a good idea for the Obama parents to take a page out of the Clintons' book and how they handled keeping their daughter Chelsea out of the limelight. It would be ideal to do likewise at the girls' tender ages, as they are still at a stage in which they are struggling to find their identities. Exposure to media scrutiny would only threaten their peace of mind, and furthermore confuse them.

This approach contrasts sharply with how the Bush girls were thrust into the spotlight, and their underage drinking escapades were put on display for the world to see. Archer said it would be hard to conclude whether the girls were rebelling or simply being "normal teens," but allots that "kids are unpredictable."

Furthermore, Archer states that kids with influential parents general undergo a lot of presure. How the girls cope in the public eye would depend largely on their personalities, as well as the extent to which their parents respect their choices. Above all, she advises the girls to be themselves, and "live for what you believe in" rather than conform to the beliefs of those in the world around them.

PICTURE AFTER THE JUMP...

Dr. Camille Archer of St. Vincent's Hospital