We may not be surprised to hear President Bush speak of a soldier's mom and dad, but if he had pointed to the first lady's gallery during the State of the Union address and spoken of the sergeant's mommy and daddy, we would all be gagging.

NPR: Are You My Mother?

And like so many of you, our first reactions were not as a President and First Lady, but as a Mom and Dad.

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In all the National Signing Day hubbub, what everyone tends to forget is that the people at the center of this process are teenagers, leaving home for the first time, perhaps making his first life decision independent of what Mom or Dad thinks, and that comes with all sorts of emotions for the teen and his family.

FORBES: A National Signing Day Story To Warm Every Overprotective Mom's Heart