What Would Jackie and Diana Tell Michelle Obama?

1. The kids come first. As the self-described “Mom-in-Chief,” you’ve made it clear you’re going to protect your children from the spotlight. Jackie and Diana would be proud. Carefully doled-out photo ops and an appearance now and then on Access Hollywood should keep things on an even keel for a while. Having your mother come to live with you at the White House to help out is genius.

2. Have sex regularly—with your husband. You don’t seem to need any coaching in this department, since it’s pretty clear you and your husband are pretty hot for each other. Keeping the home fires burning between state dinners and trips to the Middle East is key to keep your marriage strong. And watch out for blonde movie stars. Screenings of any film starring Scarlett Johansson aren’t recommended.

3. Always be camera ready. Wearing a towel around your waist on the beach just won’t do anymore. (Call Michael Kors—he’ll be more than happy to whip something up for you.) Keep in mind, those pictures will live on forever, and these days they go viral in under an hour.

4. Befriend the fashionistas. Bye bye, Maria Pinto. Jackie always wore the best of the best; Diana went from frumpy to fabulous once she traded up to couture. You’re in the big leagues now, so upgrade to Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, and Ralph Lauren. You can still wear J.Crew, though, when you go on The View.

5. Don’t get too chummy with the help. Jackie smartly instilled a respect and loyalty in her staff that persists to this day; Diana made the fatal mistake of spilling her guts to her butler. Paul Burrell repaid her by selling her out in every way imaginable. Feeling stressed? Call a friend.

6. Break out of “the bubble.” Jackie was known to go horseback riding rather than spend the afternoon entertaining congressional wives; Diana took her kids to McDonald’s and waited on line. Your family captured the public’s imagination because (among other things) you were so much like the people that voted for your husband. Don’t lose touch with everyday life, even if it means having to negotiate a bit more with your Secret Service detail.

7. Put down the Blackberry, pick up a pen. We all know about your husband’s love of technology, but you’ll score some serious points for style and grace with the heartfelt handwritten note. It’s (slightly) less likely they’ll wind up on the Internet. And they’ll look so much better than email in the history books.

8. Keep your press secretary in the loop. Make your flack your ally (and the bad guy whenever you need to). When Diana kept Patrick Jephson in the dark about her headline-making interview with the BBC (“There were three of us in this marriage”), Jephson resigned—and promptly wrote his own book.

9. Redecorate. Sure, we’re in a recession, but that’s no reason not to spruce things up a bit and make the place more family-friendly. We hear that you’ve tapped interior designer Michael Smith for the job. Smart pick. (If he’s good enough for Spielberg … ) And, if all else fails, Jackie found some fabulous antiques in the White House basement.

10. Don’t listen to anyone There’s no official job description for First Lady, so have at it!