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Former US First Lady Michelle Obama has shed light on one of her most personal parenting challenges — navigating her daughters' teenage years while under the constant watch of the public and the press.
In a candid conversation with Kelly Ripa on the Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, Michelle opened up about the trials of raising Malia and Sasha Obama amid the intense scrutiny that comes with living in the White House.
The transition from a normal childhood to public life
Michelle revealed that parenting Malia, now 26, and Sasha, 23, felt relatively normal during the early days of Barack Obama’s presidency.
At the time, Malia was 10 and Sasha just 7 — still young enough to be shielded from the more complicated aspects of fame and adolescence.
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“It was easier then,” Michelle said. “Life felt kind of normal during that first term because they were just kids. But things shifted dramatically when they became teenagers.”
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Teen years and the rising stakes
As the girls transitioned into adolescence, Michelle found herself grappling with new challenges — driving lessons, prom nights, sports, school trips, college applications, parties, and experimentation with drinking and smoking.
These were the ordinary rites of passage for most American teenagers, but for the Obamas, they posed an entirely different level of concern.
“They had drinks, and they tried out smoking and they did all the things,” Michelle confessed. “And every weekend was a nightmare because we had to work to make sure that them being regular teenagers didn't wind up on Page Six.”
With the ever-watchful eye of the paparazzi and public interest in the Obama family at an all-time high, Michelle admitted that that was a lot of work… and it got harder as they got older.
Security, scrutiny, and play dates
The constant presence of Secret Service added another layer of complexity to what would otherwise be everyday activities.
Michelle spoke of the logistical hurdles of something as simple as a play date — a task that, for most parents, requires little more than a phone call.
“Imagine setting up the first play date or the first time the kids get invited to a play date,” she explained. “The process of having my children at your house meant that an advanced team had to come and question and search your house and ask if you had drugs and guns.”
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Such procedures, while necessary for security, made Michelle’s efforts to provide a sense of normalcy for her daughters all the more difficult.
The emotional toll on a mother
Michelle admitted that at times she questioned her parenting choices, especially when her daughters began experimenting with adult behaviours.
It was during these moments that she found herself reflecting on whether she had done enough — or done too much.
“It was a big test,” she said. “There were moments I had to ask myself, ‘Am I doing this right?’”
Still, Michelle and Barack remained committed to shielding their daughters from the worst of public exposure, striving to let them make their own mistakes in a private space.
Life after the White House
Now that both Malia and Sasha are young adults navigating their own lives, Michelle said her role as a mother has evolved.
Instead of worrying about headlines, her focus has shifted to helping them deal with the unique weight of their surname.
“We call that the Obama tax for them,” she shared with a chuckle. “You'll have it the rest of your life, but you also have a lot of benefits.”
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Michelle is mindful of the long-lasting effects of fame and is determined to help her daughters stay grounded.
“I’m trying to make this feel normal to them,” she added. “You don’t want them to start thinking, number one, they’re full of themselves, that any of this is about them, and that their job is to go about their lives.”
Michelle’s parenting journey, particularly during her husband's second term in office, offers a rare glimpse into the difficulties of raising children while living under a microscope.
While most teenagers are allowed to stumble and grow away from the spotlight, Malia and Sasha had to do it with the world watching — and their mother doing her best to shield them.