WASHINGTON -- The rules in the Obama household for Malia and Sasha are clear-cut:
And the allowance from Dad for doing chores is $1 a week. Barack Obama conceded that "I'm out of town for weeks at a time, so Malia will say, 'Hey you owe me for 10 weeks.'"
The likely Democratic presidential nominee and his wife are determined that his bid for the presidency not disrupt the normal, happy childhood of their two daughters, who would be two of the youngest residents of the White House in 30 years if Obama wins the election. Amy Carter was 9 when she moved in the White House in 1977.
Sometimes when the family goes for a walk, the Obamas get the question: "What's it like living in the White House?" and Michelle Obama has to admit, "We don't really know."
Malia and Sasha visited the White House in 2005 and were bored until President Bush's dog Barney showed up and they romped with him on the South Lawn, Michelle Obama said.
Barack Obama, whose Kenyan father abandoned him as a young child, said he's been happy that the girls don't seem overwhelmed by the campaign experience.
While the candidate is on the road, the Obama girls keep a hectic schedule: soccer, dance and drama for Malia, gymnastics and tap for Sasha, piano and tennis for both. Michelle Obama tries to fit in three 90-minute workouts each week, and also hits the campaign trail two or three days a week _ a role that has brought occasional criticism from political opponents.
"When some folks were attacking Michelle, Malia just asked, 'What was that all about?' and we talked it through," Barack Obama said, adding that it was fortunate that "she's completely confident about her mommy's wonderfulness."
The family lives in a sprawling six-bedroom home on Chicago's south side. There are downstairs rules for the dark, wood-paneled first floor, which is mostly for company, and the girls take off their shoes before climbing on the velvet couch. In the girls' third-floor playroom, the couch doubles as a trampoline.
Whether their dad is home or not, the girls sometimes climb into their parents' bed in the morning. "I turn on the lights so we're sort of waking up," said Michelle Obama. "And we talk. We talk about Daddy being president, about adolescence, about the questions they have."
"They have a wonderful life in Chicago," Barack Obama said. "So I'm sure there's a part of them that won't be heartbroken if things don't work out."
© 2008 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
