While husband Barack’s ratings are dipping, those of US First Lady Michelle’s are zooming up.

She claims she is not interested in what people say about her famous wardrobe and the observation of many that the American president seems to have aged remarkably only a year since assuming office. Her main concern is her family.

That is why the world’s most powerful couple makes sure problems and affairs of the state are left behind the door when the President enters their residence. The most important part of every single day is dinner time when they can bond with daughters Maila and Sasha.

“Our children’s concerns are our priority,” Michelle candidly declares. “We do “Roses and Thorns” a game that asks players what good and bad happened that day.

What’s getting America excited these days is Michelle Obama’s personal lead in an advocacy that affects one in three children: childhood obesity.

“I can see how we got there,” she says, “ because we live differently, we have more pressures and hardly have time and energy to do decent meals. There is more computer time and less active play time.”

A lot of Michelle’s thoughts on family and childhood obesity surfaced during the interview she gave on one of America’s leading morning programs, Today. Anchor Matt Lauer was given a personal tour of the inner wings of the executive house during the repartee, an honest exchange that dwelt on their family life in Washington away from Hawaii and Illinois.

Childhood obesity is most pronounced among kids with African-American and Hispanic backgrounds. It does not help that television peddles a lot of undesirable and unhealthy food and that meal servings are becoming larger. With free time being devoted to TV and computers, American kids are getting fatter because they are simply not getting any exercise.

Playtime!

Some time ago, Michelle Obama invited a group of Cabinet members and congressional leaders from either side of the political fence to the White House to talk about her campaign. Shortly after, she was seen playing with guest children at the lawn, if only to call further attention to her desire to get kids back in the street.

The move was redolent of what Anak TV started over a year ago when it launched Larolympics, to encourage Pinoy kids to take to the parks, playgrounds and the streets to revive long-loved games.

Not long after that, a public service ad was shown on television, co-produced by the National Football Association showing no less than Barack Obama playing ball with children at the White House lawn.

The US First Lady explains that they are still working on benchmarks now but the broad goal is “to change the health statistics of an entire generation.” She freely quotes her eloquent husband when she says that “we don’t have the option to do nothing.” In her own little way, Michelle Obama is trying to make a difference in the lives of children and families in a way dissimilar to her predecessors.

“I have no role model,” she explains, when asked about which of the previous First Ladies she is patterning herself after, “because this First Lady job does not come with a job description.”

“All I want is to be helpful.”

(If interested in the advocacy for family-friendly television, visit anaktvweb.com or email the foundation at anaktv_seal@yahoo.com.)