Like every parent, the former FLOTUS has her own unique parenting style, and while she tends to keep her children out of the spotlight, Michelle previously gave an insight into her life as a mother.
Chatting to People magazine following daughter Malia’s first day of university at Harvard, Michelle said: “The most gratifying part of it all has been watching the girls enter their next phase of independence.
“Our role as parents is to raise self-sufficient, thoughtful, and compassionate individuals, and in order for them to fully embrace their own journeys, we have to be willing to let them go, so that they can grow on their own. That’s the only way we can become more.”
Both Malia and Sasha are incredibly independent and are both thriving at their respective universities. Malia is now in her final year at Harvard, while Sasha is at the University of Michigan.
What’s more, Malia is set for a bright future after graduation, as it was recently revealed that the 22-year-old had landed a TV writing job alongside Donald Glover.
She has previously worked alongside famous faces in the industry during internships, including on the set of HBO’s Girls alongside Lena Dunham.
While Michelle and Barack are raising their children to be independent, it doesn’t mean to say they don’t miss them when they aren’t around.
The Becoming author opened up about the moment they took Malia to university for the first time during an episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast.
Talking to her mum Marian and brother Craig Robinson, she said that they managed to keep it together until after they had said their goodbyes.
She said: “We took Malia to lunch, and what with all we had bringing her to collage, staying longer wasn’t going to be helpful, so we were pretty much in and out.
“In fact, they let her move in a day early so that our commotion wouldn’t be in the midst of everyone else moving in.
“But when she left the restaurant and we got in the car, I heard Barack just [sobbing noise] and Alan his agent passed a handkerchief to him and he was like ‘Thanks man’.
“We both just shared some tears because there was something about actually leaving her. Even though she had been to sleepaway camp and she had travelled, it was like, that baby is now gone.”
Michelle then added laughing: “Little did we know they would be back so soon given the pandemic!”