Michelle Obama is known for her candor. In the latest episode of her podcast, Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast (IMO), she gave listeners a glimpse into the parenting dynamics inside the Obama household, complete with a gentle jab at her husband.
The former First Lady, now 61, sat down with Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade to discuss raising children, family roles, and sibling dynamics. When the conversation turned to her daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24, Michelle revealed that while Barack found parenting one daughter straightforward, the other was challenging.
Malia the Peacemaker, Sasha the Rebel
Michelle painted a vivid contrast between her two girls during their teenage years in the White House. Her eldest, Malia, she said, had an uncanny ability to "read the room" with her father. "When Malia was a teenager, it wasn't that she was doing anything differently than Sasha, but she would tell me, 'I'm going out this weekend, but I'm going to go in and give dad like 15 minutes,'" Michelle recalled.
Those 15 minutes often turned into a pseudo-diplomatic briefing. "She'd go into the treaty room and go, 'Tell me about Syria?'" Michelle shared with a laugh. Barack, she explained, would emerge glowing: "I just had an amazing conversation with Malia!"
Sasha, on the other hand, had a very different temperament. Michelle described her as being "like a cat"—not one to please or seek approval. "She's like, 'Don't touch me, don't pet me, I'm not pleasing you, you come to me,'" she explained. Barack, according to Michelle, often felt their youngest was "difficult," though she pointed out that it was really just the difference between a pleaser and a non-pleaser.
Parenting in the White House
Michelle's reflections offered a rare look at how the Obamas navigated parenting while under the world's spotlight. From 2009 to 2017, their daughters grew from children into young women while living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The former First Lady reminded listeners that she held her husband accountable as a father, even after his election. She recounted a stern conversation after the 2008 victory, clarifying that he still needed to attend school conferences and games. "You have to get the school normalized to you being the type of engaged parent you were before election night," she told him at the time. Barack, she admitted, wanted to be there too, but she insisted it was non-negotiable.
A History of Playful Jabs
This isn't the first time Michelle has teased the former President of the United States about their parenting styles. Earlier this summer, she told her brother Craig Robinson and radio host Angie Martinez that she was "glad" she never had a son, because "he would have been a Barack Obama."
She has also previously admitted that her daughters began to "push away" from their parents as teenagers, something she believes was a natural part of carving out independence from their famous family.
Marriage Rumors and Reality
Michelle's openness about family dynamics comes against a backdrop of ongoing speculation about the Obamas' marriage. Married since 1992, the couple has repeatedly batted down rumors of separation. In July, Barack even made a surprise appearance on IMO, playfully addressing the chatter. "What, you guys like each other?" Craig Robinson joked. Michelle quickly shot back: "Oh yeah, the rumor mill." Barack added with a grin: "She took me back! It was touch and go for a while."
Despite the constant speculation, Michelle's stories suggest the Obamas remain a grounded, relatable family. Their humor, candor, and willingness to reveal the messy side of parenting have kept them firmly in the public's affection.