Michelle Obama shared another challenge she faced while raising her children in the public eye. According to the former First Lady of the United States, she tried to keep life normal while living inside the White House, but certain things escaped her control.
During a candid conversation on the podcast “Baby, This is Keke Palmer,” Michelle Obama reflected on motherhood during former President Barack Obama’s two terms in office and the intentional steps they took to protect daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama from the pressures of growing up in one of the most famous homes in the world.
Malia was just 10 years old when Barack Obama became president in 2009, while Sasha was only 7, making them two of the youngest children to live in the White House in decades. “With them, it was really just trying to keep them focused on their lives,” Obama explained during the interview. “They could never miss school or something that they had to do for school because something cool was happening right at the White House.”
Obama said maintaining structure was essential. “They only traveled with us on their breaks – so summers, and there’s spring break when they weren’t at camp – so the goal was to make their lives as normal as possible,” she added.
© AFP via Getty ImagesHow Michelle Obama Protected Her Daughters
Despite the extraordinary setting, Michelle Obama said she and Barack Obama encouraged their daughters to experience the same milestones as other kids their age. The couple encouraged their girls to have sleepovers, birthday parties, and social events with friends, which remained a priority, even if that meant they had to move around town with Secret Service protection and global attention.
Obama told Keke Palmer that the girls attended “sleepovers and bar mitzvahs,” and they had to learn how to invite friends to the White House.
Michelle said that while the White House came with privilege and opportunity, she wanted Malia and Sasha grounded in routine and responsibility first.
Michelle Obama Recalls the Moment Her “Mama Bear” Instincts Took Over
One memory that still stands out for Obama involved an overseas trip to Russia early in Barack Obama’s presidency. The author recalled that the girls had barely slept during the international flight before being expected to participate in official duties immediately after landing.
“They maybe slept for three hours on the plane with jet lag. And I had to go in and wake them up knowing that they hadn’t had sleep,” Obama said. “I was like, this is crazy. I told [Barack], ‘This is ridiculous.’”
© AFP via Getty ImagesAfter arriving in Russia and heading toward the Kremlin, Obama said the girls were having a hard time keeping up. “Malia says, ‘I’ve never felt this bad in my whole life.’ And I said, ‘Honey, that’s jet lag,’” Obama recalled.
That moment led Michelle Obama to make a major change behind the scenes. “After that trip, we told our team, ‘Don’t ever do that. Don’t plan a trip that if we land, the kids have to work right away,’” she explained. “So from then on it was like, if they haven’t had their sleep, they’d get in a separate car and go to the hotel.”
© AFP via Getty ImagesNow adults, both Malia and Sasha have largely stayed grounded despite growing up in one of the world’s most visible families, something many fans credit to the parenting style Michelle Obama continues to discuss openly.
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