I felt privileged to interview Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of the country's most passionate environmentalists. I learned quickly into our interview that he's also one of its most devoted dads. Each mission drives the other. When we spoke at our appointed time on a July afternoon, he was with a few of his kids as they enjoyed the last days of summer vacation. j A few minutes into our conversation, he was interrupted by his daughter who asked what the day's plans were. He asked me to hang on and calmly answered her. He got back on the line only to be interrupted yet again by a crying child with a scraped knee. Another empathetic response.

"With six kids, we have a lot of bumps and bruises around here," he said with a laugh. By now, Kennedy and his wife, Mary Richardson, are veterans at handling the misadventures of childhood. There is 22-year-old Robert F. III, 18-year-old Kick, 13-year-old Connor, 11-year-old Kyra, nine-year-old Finbar, and five-year-old Aidan. In keeping with the famous family legacy, home is a priority.

Kennedy asked if we could continue our conversation that evening, around 10 p.m. Worked for me.

I explained to my own two daughters, 13-year-old Megan and nine-year-old Ashley, that I wanted them both in their rooms by this time, either sleeping or reading a book, so I could concentrate on this important conversation. Megan wasn't keen on this idea. Summers are for staying up late, she said. The next day she conveyed this scenario to her friend Rachel, who surprisingly sided with me. "Your mom was interviewing someone important," she said knowingly. "That's the guy who owns the airport!"

However it gets recognized, RFK Jr.'s famous last name comes with a legacy - to make the world a better place. By doing his part to save the planet, he says he is helping protect his children's basic needs and their birthright. He sums it up with a favorite Lakota Sioux proverb, "We didn't inherit this land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."