这就是为什么我要如此竭尽所能地去成为自己孩子的好父亲。当然，我并不总是成功。到目前为止，我的工作常使我不情愿地离开家庭，此时培养两个姑娘的重任就过于依赖米歇尔去完成。
but between my own experiences growing up, and my ongoingefforts to be the best father i can be, i’ve learned a few things about whatour children need most from their parents.
我的成长没有父亲的陪伴。他离开时，我只有两岁。虽然我和我妹妹能足够幸运地在一位优秀的母亲和祖父的养育下成长，我仍然感到这是一种缺憾。我常常想假如他没有离开的话，我的生活会有怎样的不同啊。
that’s why i’ve tried so hard to be a good dad for my ownchildren. i haven’t always sueeded, of course – in the past, my job haskept me away from home more often than i liked, andthe burden of raising twoyoung girls would sometimes fall too heavily on michelle.
从我自己的成长经历和尽力成为称职父亲的经验中，我对孩子最需要从父母处得到什么的问题，有了更深的心得体会。
first, they need our time. and more important thanthe quantity of hours we spend with them is the quality of those hours. maybe it’s just asking about their day, or talking a walk together, but thesmallest moments can have the biggest impact.
奥巴马父亲节演讲稿（中英）
hi, everybody. this father’s day weekend, i’d like tospend a couple minutes talking about what’s sometimes my hardest, but always mymost rewarding job – being a dad.
尤为重要的是，孩子们需要我们无条件的爱——无论他们成功时还是犯错了;也无论我们生活水平的贫或富。
and life is tough for a lot of americans today. moreand more kids grow up without a father figure. others miss a father who’saway serving his country in uniform. and even for those dads who arepresent in their children’s lives, the recession has taken a harsh toll. if you’re out of a job or struggling to pay the bills, doing whatever it takesto keep the kids healthy, happy and safe can understandably take precedenceover all else.
首先，孩子们需要我们花时间与之相处。这不仅指相处的时间长短，更重要的是相处的质量。也许只是简单的问候或者是散散步说说话，但是这些最简单的活动却可能够产生最大的影响。
they also need structure, including learning the values ofself-discipline and responsibility. malia and sasha may live in the white housethese days, but michelle and i still make sure they finish their schoolwork, dotheir chores, and walk the dog.
大家好!在这个父亲节周末，我想花几分钟时间谈谈我那份有时倍感困难但却永远最有价值的工作——父亲。
i grew up without my father around. he left when i was twoyears old, and even though my sister and i were lucky enough to have awonderful mother and caring grandparents to raise us, i felt his absence. and i wonder what my life would have been like had he been a greater presence.
孩子们也需要引导，包括让他们懂得自律和责任感的价值。我的两个女儿这些日子住在白宫，但是米歇尔和我仍然要督促她们完成家庭作业和做一些力所能及的家务，同时还要负责遛狗。
and above all, children need our unconditional love –whether they sueed or make mistakes; when life is easy and when life istough.
对很多美国人来说，当下的生活并不容易。越来越多孩子的成长过程缺少父亲角色的参与。而有些孩子没有父亲陪伴是因其要在军中服役。而且对于那些能够陪伴自己的孩子的父亲而言，经济的不景气也使他们喘不过气来。然而，就算你正处于失业或者为生活疲于奔命的状态，你也应当把保证孩子们的健康快乐和安全作为压倒一切的事项。