The President said, “Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done.”

At that moment, I realized my daughters had homework to do but they were laying on my bed watching, Mean Girls 2. Yes, at 10 pm, because of the President’s words, I felt compelled to get up off the couch and tell them to turn off Mean Girls 2. I was not popular.

One of my daughters pleaded, “Let us stay up and do our homework.” The other literally pushed me away from the TV. This is what I deal with.

“We don’t make you not watch your show,” one of my girls tried to reason.

“That’s because my show, The State of the Union Address, is on once a year.” Why even bother.

I wish I knew and was like the president’s mother. When he was a boy, his mom made Barry get up early to do his homework.

Ann Dunham told him at 4:30 in the morning, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” (But it paid off, because he’s now the president!)

But Obama’s right. It’s up to us. Even if it’s no fun. And it is no fun telling the kids to turn off the TV.  Or reminding them to do their homework.

The President was so right he received a bipartisan standing ovation for that line. Those bipartisan standing Os are not easy to come by.

It’s no picnic, buster.