Veteran broadcaster Cokie Roberts on being part of a four-generation family

By Nina Hammerling Smith
May, 2009

Cokie Roberts is an adept news analyst, a bestselling author and a trusted TV political commentator. But none of these things is her most important job. That distinction goes to something so basic, so instinctive, that some don't even think of it as a "job": being a mother.

To Roberts, 65, the mother of two and grandmother of six, balancing parenthood with professional life may be difficult, but it's hardly anything new.

"It's not some early-twenty-first century phenom, that women are working and raising families. They've been doing it from time out of mind. But compared to the women who came before us, we're quite privileged. You know, we're not making the candles before we light them."

In the tenth-anniversary edition of We Are Our Mothers' Daughters [1], Roberts celebrates women's contributions throughout history and revisits themes that hit closer to home, particularly her relationship with her mother, her children and her grandchildren.

Roberts found an extraordinary role model in her mother, retired Louisiana Congresswoman and U.S. ambassador to the Vatican Lindy Boggs, now 93.

"My mother always taught by example. It was daunting in one way because she did everything and did it all very, very well. But in another way, it set a wonderful pattern for us to follow, as someone who was highly accomplished, doing all these important things in the community and in politics, but who was always there for us."

One valuable lesson Roberts learned from her mother was to forget about the idea of perfection. "You're not going to get it right all the time. That's why they put erasers on pencils! There are times when you have to take a step back and recalibrate. But you know what? That's not just a function of motherhood and work; it's the way life works."

As for the tension supposedly inherent in mother-daughter relationships, Roberts believes that it's been "highly overstated," especially in popular culture.

"Movie-star types write their Mommy Dearest books, but the data say that mothers and daughters feel very close to each other and talk to each other, in many cases, every day. By and large, it is a wonderful, loving, humor-filled relationship."

She certainly enjoys a close relationship with daughter Rebecca Roberts, herself a journalist and broadcaster. "I am such an admirer of hers. And I think that she appreciates that I remember what it was like trying to do everything else while having little children."

When it comes to being a grandmother—Rebecca and her brother, Lee, each have three children—well, Cokie is smitten.

"It's totally delicious. It's all the fun of having little kids with hardly any of the responsibility. And the responsibilities that you do have you pretty much get to pick and choose."

Plus, "I can be infinitely patient with these children, and that was certainly not true with my own children. The time I'm spending with my grandchildren is devoted to them. I'm with them to be with them. Whereas with your own children, you're doing a million other things."

Roberts is quick to point out that having close bonds across four generations works to everyone's advantage.

"There's all this conversation about the 'sandwich generation' [people who care for their parents and have children of their own]; I joke that now we're actually in the club sandwich generation. But it means I have the support of my daughter in helping take care of my mother, and she has the support of me in helping take care of the children."

It's an important job, all right; and one we're certain Roberts is up to.

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延伸閱讀 : 

英文十課 

大鵬的心靈園地