Michelle Obama made sure her daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, stayed in line while living in the White House and under constant public scrutiny.
The “Becoming” author appeared on Thursday’s episode of Melinda French Gates’ “The Moments that Make Us” podcast where she detailed how she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, ran a tight ship within their household during his two-term presidency.
“There were some lines drawn. I had to raise them to be stand-up young people on their own, especially as the daughters of a former president. But people are quick to cut a kid off if you don’t show up right and you’ve got a name behind you. You have to come correct,” Michelle, 60, said.
“I never felt my job was to create mini-mes, or create people who were going to live out some brokenness in me or fill some hole or to be my friend,” said the former first lady.
“As my girls joke, I always said — my favorite line was, ‘I’m not one of your little friends.’”
The Obama family lived in the White House from 2009 to 2017. Malia and Sasha were 10 and 7 years old, respectively, when they first entered the iconic house. The sisters also attended the private Sidwell Friends School while living in D.C.
Michelle further shared how knowing that her children were being scrutinized as they spent their formative years in the public eye affected her parenting style.
“They are watched. They had to learn how to balance the unwanted attention, but do it politely. To build their own lives in the spotlight and not be eaten up by it,” she explained.
“Well those girls had to be smart and confident and independent straight away — even when they were living in a house with butlers and maids and florists. But I was raising them thinking, ‘You’re not going to live here, and with me, forever. So I’ve got to hand you your life soon and let you manage it.’”
Sasha, who recently celebrated her 23rd birthday, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California in 2023.
Malia graduated with a degree in visual and environmental studies from Harvard University in 2021.
Michelle previously revealed that her daughters share a home and are living together in Los Angeles.
