Family dinners around the Obama table feature polite manners, wholesome food – and occasionally a game called ''roses and thorns.'' Each family member – US President Barack Obama, his wife, First Lady Michelle, and their daughters Malia Ann and Natasha (called Sasha), who turn 11 and 8 this year – takes a turn sharing something good and something that was, well, thorny, about their day. It's a family routine made easier since January, when Dad started working from his ''home office,'' the White House Oval Office downstairs from their private quarters.

Malia caught on quickly to their new reality. ''Dad, you have a really thorny job,'' she observed.

No matter how stressful the day – for a world leader and his family or any other parents – coming together regularly to share everyday joys and concerns helps everyone focus on what's really important in life. In that sense, the Obamas' dinnertime tradition reflects their hands-on approach to raising children with care and love.

When it comes to raising happy, well-adjusted children, America's ''top pop'' and ''mum-in-chief'' are winning wide praise. They seem to be delivering eight basic gifts every child needs to thrive – whether he or she lives in the White House or your house:

1 Knowing they are loved

''What kids need most is knowing they're important in their parents' lives and loved deeply,'' says psychologist David Elkind, PhD, author of...