Michelle Obama Revealed the One Aspect She Was ‘Extra Strict’ on With Daughters Malia & Sasha

Michelle Obama made two major parenting revelations to her fans: that she set very strict boundaries on how her daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama should handle their public lives and continue to be themselves.

During a recent episode of Melinda French Gates’ podcast entitled The Moments That Make Us, Michelle talked about how she made it a priority to ensure her daughters are independent and confident.

Michelle talked about the “extra strict” boundaries she put on her daughters Malia and Sasha to help them navigate their public life.

“I had to raise them to be stand-up young people on their own, especially as the daughters of a former president,” she 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.”

She added, “As my girls joke, I always said — my favorite line was, ‘I’m not one of your little friends.’”

For those who don’t know, the Becoming author and former US President Barack Obama have two children together.

After getting married in 1992, Michelle and Barack welcomed two daughters through IVF named Malia Ann, born on July 4, 1998, and Natasha (better known as Sasha), born on June 10, 2001.

During a 2024 conversation with People, Barack said, “That is a question I do not need to answer, because Michelle drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics. It’ll never happen. They’re powerful young women.”

Before you go, click here to see the best presidential love stories in U.S. history.