Former First Lady Michelle Obama sparked widespread discussion after revealing on her podcast that she was relieved not to have had a son with former President Barack Obama, citing concerns about the pressure such a child would face.
During the June 18 episode of her “IMO” podcast, which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, Obama made the candid admission while discussing parenting challenges with guest Angie Martinez, a Hot 97 radio personality.
When Martinez suggested that Obama “should have threw a boy in the mix,” referring to her family with daughters Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24, the former first lady responded decisively. Obama stated, “I’m so glad I didn’t have a boy because he would have been a Barack Obama.”
Martinez enthusiastically countered that having a “Baby Barack” would have been amazing, but Obama disagreed, indicating she would have felt sympathy for such a child. Robinson chimed in with humor, noting that his sister “just borrowed our boys,” referring to his own sons. Obama agreed, acknowledging she had “plenty” of male influence through her nephews.
The conversation took place during a broader discussion about the challenges of raising boys in today’s society. Obama shared her philosophy on parenting male children, emphasizing that mothers should both love and properly prepare their sons for the realities of the world.
Obama expanded on traditional parenting wisdom, suggesting that while people commonly say mothers raise their girls and love their sons, she believes mothers should love their sons while also raising them properly. She advocated for teaching boys practical life skills, from handling traffic stops to communicating effectively in marriages and becoming listening fathers.
The former first lady stressed the importance of preparing young men to be compassionate neighbors, engaged voting citizens, and individuals who care about matters beyond themselves. She warned parents against making life too easy for their sons at a young age, arguing this would leave them unprepared for inevitable challenges.
Obama urged mothers to make their sons resilient and ready for hurt and disappointment, regardless of their race. She cautioned against overprotective parenting behaviors like monitoring friendships or constantly intervening to smooth difficulties.
Despite her comments about hypothetical sons, Obama expressed complete satisfaction with her parenting experience. She described loving every phase of raising Malia and Sasha, from their baby years through their time as teenagers in the White House.
Obama particularly appreciated watching her daughters develop into independent individuals, make their own choices, and navigate challenges before calling her to share their discoveries. She characterized their teenage years in the White House as “interesting” while maintaining her enjoyment of every developmental stage.
The podcast episode focused extensively on parenting male children, as Martinez has one son and Robinson has three boys. Robinson is father to son Avery and daughter Leslie from his first marriage, plus sons Austin and Aaron from his second marriage to Kelly McCrum.
Obama’s comments come amid ongoing speculation about her marriage to Barack Obama, though she recently praised her husband’s parenting abilities during a June 11 interview with Bruce Springsteen on the same podcast. The couple has been married for 32 years.
The discussion also touched on Obama’s recent openness about her daughters’ independence. Earlier this month, she addressed Malia’s decision to use only her first and middle names, Malia Ann, rather than Obama in her film career credits. Obama explained that her daughters are sensitive about earning their achievements independently without assumptions about receiving advantages due to their famous surname.
Obama acknowledged that both daughters went through typical teenage phases of pushing away from their parents and continue asserting their independence as young adults. She emphasized respecting their desire to establish their own identities separate from their parents’ prominence.
The former first lady has been increasingly candid about personal topics since launching her podcast, marking a departure from her more reserved public persona during and immediately after her husband’s presidency. She recently revealed that she is currently in therapy and transitioning to a different phase of her life.
