Michelle Obama says husband Barack found raising youngest daughter Sasha more difficult than Malia

Michelle Obama revealed Barack Obama found raising Sasha more challenging than Malia due to her independence.

Michelle Obama has revealed that her husband, former US President Barack Obama, found raising their youngest daughter, Sasha, more difficult than raising Malia, due to differences in their personalities.

Speaking on the latest episode of her podcast “IMO” with her brother Craig Robinson, the former First Lady described Sasha, now 23, as independent and reserved during her younger years.

She recalled that her daughter’s reclusive nature often led others, including her father, to describe her as “difficult.” Michelle explained that Sasha’s reluctance to seek approval from others contrasted with her sister Malia, who was more inclined to engage.

“She’s like, ‘Don’t touch me, don’t pet me. I’m not pleasing you. You come to me,’” Michelle said, likening Sasha’s behaviour to that of a cat.

By contrast, Malia regularly connected with her father through discussions about politics and current events during their time in the White House.

Michelle recalled how Malia would visit Barack in the Treaty Room to ask questions, such as “Tell me about Syria,” which led to conversations her husband later described as meaningful.

Despite the challenges, Michelle emphasised Barack’s dedication as a father, noting his efforts to leave the pressures of the presidency behind when spending time with their daughters.

She explained that he made a conscious effort to separate the responsibilities of office from family life, ensuring their children experienced as normal an upbringing as possible within the White House.

Michelle also acknowledged the difficulties of raising teenagers under public scrutiny. She described the significant planning required by the White House staff to allow Malia and Sasha to attend school events, social gatherings, and college visits while keeping their experiences out of the media spotlight.

The former First Lady reflected that balancing the demands of public life with parenting required “intentionality” and constant effort to protect her daughters’ privacy during their formative years.