Michelle Obama is getting candid about life after her daughters left home—and not every parent on the internet can relate.
The former first lady, 62, recently opened up about becoming an empty nester with her husband, former President Barack Obama. The couple shares two daughters, Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, and Michelle admitted that she surprisingly doesn't find herself missing them all that much.
Michelle Is Living Her Best Empty-Nester Life
The revelation came during a recent episode of Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson’s podcast, IMO, which featured comedian Jon Stewart.
The conversation touched on the realities of raising children while juggling demanding careers, the impact that busy schedules can have on marriages and what happens when kids eventually leave home.
When the topic turned to missing her daughters, Michelle didn't hesitate.
“I don’t miss ’em,” she said with a laugh.
But before anyone could think she was throwing her daughters some serious shade, Michelle quickly clarified that she loves them—and she's still very much in their lives.
“I don’t, I love them, I’m going to see them tonight for dinner,” she explained.
She then compared her reaction to Barack's when their daughters left for college.
“I love them, but Barack cried when they went to college and I was like, ‘Bye...’” Michelle recalled.
She’s Enjoying The Freedom
According to Michelle, having grown children has given her a level of freedom she didn't have when Malia and Sasha were younger.
“Now, Friday nights aren’t wrecked with terror and fear about, ‘Where are you, where are you?’” she said.
She also said she has loved watching her daughters grow and become their own people since they reached adulthood.
© CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagMichelle praised their “growth” since their “emancipation,” making it clear that she's proud of the independent women they've become.
She also joked about enjoying being able to control her own schedule these days.
After years of having to organize her life around her children, Michelle said she now loves having the freedom to decide what she wants to do and when she wants to do it.
“I’ve had so much quality time with my children, so much, I know them inside and out,” she said.
The Internet Had Thoughts
Michelle's comments quickly went viral after a clip from the podcast made its way onto X, prompting a heated debate among parents about whether it's normal not to miss your children once they've grown up and moved out.
Former The View co-host Meghan McCain was among those who couldn't relate.
“I am obsessed with my children. Obsessed with them,” McCain wrote on X, explaining that she cried when her own daughter started preschool.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesShe added that she expects to struggle when her daughter eventually leaves home and said Michelle's perspective couldn't feel more different from her own.
Other parents jumped into the conversation to share similar feelings.
One person said they couldn't understand Michelle's point of view and admitted they still wished their adult child would move back home because they miss her so much.
Another commenter, who said their children are already in their 40s, admitted they still check in and worry about them, proudly calling themselves a “momma hen.”
Someone else joked that they once thought the worrying would stop once their kids turned 18—only to learn that the concern never really goes away.
Others Said Michelle Has A Point
Not everyone thought Michelle's comments were shocking.
Some people defended the former first lady and argued that parents experience an empty nest differently. One X user pointed out that becoming a parent of older children is something you can't fully understand until you've actually lived through it.
“People experience and give love differently,” the person wrote.
© Getty ImagesAnother commenter pushed back at McCain's criticism, arguing that there's nothing wrong with being excited to see your children become independent adults.
“I was excited for my kids to gain independence and to see who they’ve become,” they wrote.
And one particularly blunt commenter suggested that parents of young children simply wait until their kids are older before judging Michelle's perspective.
“Wait ten to 12 years,” they wrote, pointing to the teenage years, dating, friendship drama and social pressures. “College for them is vacation for you.”
For Michelle, it sounds like the empty-nest era is less about missing her daughters and more about enjoying the chance to watch them thrive from a little more distance.
