Because she says so and, when you get invited to The White House to have a little face to face time with First Lady Michelle Obama, you probably just go ahead and do what she says.
But, let me back this story train up a little bit.
A few weeks ago I received hands down the most awesomely, exciting invitation of my lifetime.
Thanks to my work with Babble, they were inviting me to visit The White House for an event with the first lady.
Yuuuup, THAT first lady!
Once I got my heart rate under control and iced my ankle after I twisted it trying to cartwheel in my dining room, I RSVPd like nobody’s business.
Because going to the White House is a huge deal, especially when the sitting First Lady is going to be there to speak to you.
And, keeping it real, I am a huge fan of the Obama Family.
I think they have made the presidency and politics in general attractive and interesting to younger generations of people, I think they have made politics accessible to previously disenfranchised and underrepresented members of our nation, and I think they are a wonderful set of role models for American families in terms of being a healthy, loving, connected set of individuals.
That being said, I particularly love the things that Michelle Obama has been working on since becoming a resident in The White House, specifically as it applies to helping to make American children healthier.
Which is what myself and the other 100 or so women brought in to enjoy a morning with her and other members of the team that has worked on her Let’s Move initiatives were there to learn about.
For those unfamiliar, Let’s Move is Michelle Obama’s initiative designed to ensure that the nation’s children are educated about and have access to healthy food options. She is passionate about it because obesity is such an epidemic, and she is familiar with it because she shared her own struggles to help her children maintain a healthy lifestyle as a busy mom with so much on her plate –a struggle so many of us can easily relate to.
I love that her program seeks to support good parents eager to do the right thing, and I am excited because it has already done so much.
Since it’s inception, the Let’s Move program has…
- encouraged 17,000 schools to join the Let’s Move Active Kids program to commit to providing their students with 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
- installed over 4,000 salad bars inside of school cafeterias.
- implemented the Smart Snacks rule requiring that all snack sold in school during the school day need to meet specific nutrition standards, including snacks sold a la carte, in the school store, and vending machines.
The efforts of the program also involve revising school breakfast and lunch programs, providing guidance for community based programs that reach kids, and truly changing the way American children view food, nutrition, and healthy living.
One such program is their newest campaign, FNV, aimed at marketing a healthy lifestyle and eating fruits and veggies to kids.
I know, marketing to kids feels weird, but you know what? It happens daily, both directly and indirectly, both intentionally and unintentionally, and when it comes right down to it, I’m good with it.
Provided the campaign means my kids might want to eat a turnip like Stephen Curry. I mean seriously, they’re already wearing his shoes, and his jersey, and his socks, and his headphones, might as well get on his diet.
The campaign is quite genius in fact. It gives kids a good reason to look up to celebrities.
They get to see real people that they look up to, enjoy, identify with, and listen to endorse something as basic as a piece of fruit…
Something other than a pair of shoes we can barely afford or a set of headphones we have to save up for.
And I’m excited to see it work.
I came right home to share the experience with The Dudes and, before bed that night I overheard this conversation in their bathroom while they brushed their teeth…
Dude 2: Look at Steph Curry. *shows Dude 3 his Instagram feed*
Dude 3: Wait, what’s a turnip?
Dude 2: I don’t know, like some kind of vegetable I guess.
Dude 3: Oh, we should ask mom to get one.
Dude 2: It’s probably gross.
Dude 3: Maybe. I’m gonna ask her anyway.
See, Mrs. Obama?
It’s working.
Such a phenomenal opportunity!!! So happy for you ~ and I have been so impressed and inspired by things she has done in the white house. Agree that this is a classy, close family…and there’s so much there to learn from!