Michelle Obama Admits She Wanted to Keep 'Nepo Baby' Daughters Malia and Sasha 'Grounded' While Growing Up in the White House
Michelle Obama reflected on her family's time in the White House.
Sept. 10 2026, Published 10:59 a.m. ET
Michelle Obama shared details on her parenting from her days in the White House.
The former first lady was conscience of their unique position, finding it important to tell daughters Malia and Sasha "no" to keep them "grounded," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Michelle Obama Admits to Telling Her Kids 'No'
2 Chainz labeled her daughter 'nepo babies.'
While speaking on her IMO podcast, she admitted the girls "needed to know what (no) felt like."
She offered the perspective in response to a fan question regarding job rejections. Michelle, 62, admitted to instilling the value early – and her co-host, Craig Robinson, acknowledged parents often don't let their children experience failure until later in life.
The result: a sense of "catastrophe" in their 20s over their first major failure.
At first, Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, didn't understand Michelle's parenting approach. She explained, "The girls tell me, 'Mom, you used to tell us no.' They'd be like, 'Why?' Because you need to know what no feels like. Especially for kids like ours... there's no natural 'nos.'"
Her guest, 2 Chainz, laughed, "Nepo babies, man."
Michelle admitted her young life was filled with getting a "no," including concerns from her parents about affordability.
Michelle 'Doesn't Miss' Her Daughters
Barack was more emotionally moved by their transition to college.
This wasn't Michelle's first crack at candor about motherhood. She previously surprised fans with her reaction to her daughters leaving for college.
Michelle admitted she wasn't quite as emotionally moved by the event as her husband, former President Barack Obama. Instead, she "doesn't miss" her daughters now that they're out of the house.
On her podcast, she said, "I don't miss 'em. I don't, I love them, I'm going to see them tonight for dinner. I love them, but Barack cried when they went to college, and I was like, 'Bye...'"
Primarily, she expressed life was simpler without needing to worry about where her children were in the evenings.
Plus, Michelle explained she enjoys watching their "growth" in adulthood.
Fans Sympathize With a Mother's POV
She received respect for her candor.
The perspective drew sympathy from fans who related to Michelle's reaction.
One person wrote on Instagram: "I get this. I think moms, more often than dads, carry more of the emotional and mental weight of child-rearing. So when it’s time for them to leave 'the nest' it hits moms different. Dads realize those first 18 years are now over. Moms realize that they made it and now it’s time to exhale."
Another added, "Mother perspective vs. father perspective. Full-time employee vs. part-time employee."
A third said, "I love the fact that she's not into performing. Spoke HER truth!"
Malia and Sasha Obama Moved to White House at a Near-Record Young Age
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JFK Jr. was the only person younger than Sasha to live in the White House.
Michelle, Malia, and Sasha lived alongside Barack during his tenure in the White House from 2009–2017.
Sasha was just 7 years old when the family moved in, with big sister Malia being 10. Sasha was the youngest person to live in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr., who was about 2 months old when moving into the White House during former President John F. Kennedy's term.
By the time the Obamas moved out, Malia was an adult at 18 years old, and Sasha was 15.
In the fall of 2017, Malia moved away from her family, heading to Harvard University where she pursued a Visual and Environmental Studies bachelor's degree, graduating in 2021.
Sasha attended college in the fall of 2019. At first, she attended the University of Michigan, studying psychology.
However, in 2022, Sasha transferred to the University of Southern California, graduating with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2023.
