Obama ‘acts like a modern dad’

Will fathers across the country be able to identify with Barack Obama after he takes office in January?

A new article in Us magazine suggests this may be the case, describing how the president-elect’s parenting skills reflect the typical responsibilities of many contemporary fathers.

For example, the former Illinois senator shares many household and parenting duties with his wife, attending parent-teacher meeting, dance recitals and reading to his daughters before they fall asleep.

And his wife Michelle is the first one to praise her husband for his family role. "He’s an incredible husband and father. Not sure if the world knows yet, but they should," she told the publication during the campaign.

Obama himself has explained in the past that his parenting advice focuses on keeping 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha in a regular routine and preserving an air of normalcy amid the family’s hectic schedule.

By Obama’s account, the approach works. "I think I’m a pretty cool dad," he said.

In fact, the Obama family just may end up being a role model for other busy American households.

A recent poll by the Rockefeller Family Fund found that today’s fathers are looking for parenting advice about how to balance family life with work commitments.