Michelle Obama Opens up About Motherhood & Why She Didn’t Want a Third Child

Aside from recently revealing why she didn’t want a third child, Michelle Obama shared reflections about her beloved daughters, whom she and her husband have proudly spoken about in the past.

Yesterday, on March 20, 2025, former First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) Michelle Obama sat down for a podcast interview with Kylie Kelce on her show “Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce.” The two women had an engaging and fruitful discussion about various topics, including the revelations Michelle shared about motherhood and her daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama.

During the conversation, Michelle opened up about the deep emotional connection and love she felt with her children from the moment they were born.

She candidly admitted that early motherhood came with an overwhelming sense of responsibility, recalling how she would think, “Oh my God, all you have is me. I feel so bad for you. I wish you had a parent. You deserve more, cause I don’t know anything and now I’m in charge.”

Her honesty struck a chord with Kylie, who laughed and nodded along, agreeing with Michelle’s words. “This is like my inner dialogue,” Kylie remarked, to which Michelle playfully affirmed, “It is! You know, and you’re doing it a fourth time!”

The former FLOTUS then delved into why she and her husband, former President of the United States (POTUS) Barack Obama, ultimately decided not to have a third child, sharing a lighthearted memory of their conversation on the topic.

While Barack entertained the idea of expanding their family, telling his wife they should have a third child, Michelle made her stance crystal clear with just one word — “Dude.”

She explained that luck had been on their side with their two daughters. “You know, I’m thinking, ‘We’re gonna get a crazy one.’ It’s just the roll of the dice,” Michelle admitted.

Kylie, who is currently raising three children and has a fourth on the way with her husband, NFL star Jason Kelce, completely understood Michelle’s sentiment, adding, “Well, two good sleepers, I’d call it, too.”

Michelle also took a moment to commend Kylie’s courage in navigating motherhood with soon-to-be-four little ones, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of parenting.

“I admire your courage, you’re on number four, you know. And you know […] you don’t know what you’re gonna get, you know?” she said, eliciting an amused response from Kylie, who wholeheartedly agreed, saying, “No, it’s always a toss-up.”

As the conversation shifted to their daughters, Michelle and Kylie shared a playful exchange about raising girls. After Kylie reiterated that all her children are girls, Michelle couldn’t help but tease, “That’s because that’s what your husband deserves.”

She went on to share a similar sentiment about Barack, joking, “The karma was like, ‘Dude, you need a bunch of women in your life, just to smack you around.'” Kylie laughed in agreement, clarifying, “Oh, when I say take care of you, I mean like handle you.”

The two bonded over the unique experience of being girl moms, with Kylie bringing up a study she had seen about fathers of daughters living longer. “Of course they do,” she quipped, imagining daughters constantly keeping their dads in check with questions like, “Are you serious right now?”

Michelle immediately chimed in, adding, “Are you going out like that?” and “Are you gonna say that?” — highlighting the many ways daughters hold their fathers accountable. The lighthearted moment led Michelle to joke that Barack and Jason should have a chat.

The discussion then turned to Michelle’s experience raising Malia and Sasha in the White House — something few parents could relate to.

When Kylie admitted that her own children often draw on walls and furniture, she asked Michelle if her daughters ever had any “true kid” moments in the White House that made her say, “Oh crap.”

Michelle laughed before explaining that while some parents worry about crayons on the walls, her concerns were on an entirely different level.

“They spent — they’ve lived in the White House longer than they’ve lived anywhere,” she revealed. Her daughters weren’t toddlers scribbling on walls; they were teenagers navigating prom, learning to drive, attending parties, and experiencing first loves — all under the scrutiny of the public eye.

“I wanted to give my girls enough rope to live and be normal teenagers,” the doting mom admitted, but at the same time, she was deeply aware of the risks.

“But I was also worrying about them turning up on Page Six because they were doing what normal kids would do — without that many eyes on them,” Michelle disclosed.

She reflected on how social media made her daughters’ experiences vastly different from those of past First Children, such as Chelsea and Amy Carter, who didn’t grow up in an era of constant digital exposure.

“Every party that they’d go to, you know, we’d have to build a real community of trust around them,” Michelle explained, emphasizing her efforts to give them a sense of normalcy before they left for college.

One of the biggest challenges she faced was ensuring her daughters could handle everyday life outside the White House bubble. That included driving — something that felt almost foreign to them after years of being chauffeured by Secret Service agents.

“You can’t learn it through osmosis in the backseat of an armored car,” she stated. Determined to prepare them for independence, Michelle insisted that once they got their licenses, they had to drive themselves.

That decision led to one of her more nerve-wracking parenting moments — when Sasha Obama was involved in a car accident. “Some lady T-boned her and you get this call that Sasha was in an accident, the car was totaled,” Michelle recalled.

But instead of immediately panicking about her daughter, her first thought was for the other driver, “Oooh, I hope the lady that hit her is okay.” Michelle thought this because she could only imagine what it must have been like to be the person who unknowingly T-boned the then-president’s daughter — only to be met by a team of Secret Service agents.

Looking back, Michelle admitted that raising teenagers in the White House meant dealing with the same challenges as any other parent — but on an amplified scale.

That reality made her appreciate the simpler struggles of early childhood, playfully telling Kylie, “I longed for the days when, you know, ‘Just write on the wall, will ya? We can wash that off.’”

As much as she cherished their time in the White House, Michelle admitted she was relieved when it was over — not for herself, but for her daughters.

“I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them,” she noted. While the young ladies still face the realities of paparazzi and public recognition, Michelle believes their years in the White House gave them valuable experience in handling life under the spotlight.

While the reflections Michelle Obama shared about her girls are recent, she and Barack have spoken about them before. The proud parents often praise Sasha and Malia, who are now in their 20s, living together, and forging their own paths in life.

The sisters share a tight-knit relationship that has been their anchor in public life. Almost four years after their father left the presidency, both girls were back in their family home during the pandemic.

With their daughters around, the Obamas valued this unexpected time together. Having Malia and Sasha for dinner every night, playing games, and watching movies brought them immense joy.

As the siblings grew older, their closeness only intensified. Barack had once shared how wonderful it has been for him as a dad to see what great friends Malia and Sasha have become.

Though three years apart, their younger days saw typical sibling quarrels over clothes and the occasional squabble, according to their dad. By young adulthood, that bond had strengthened considerably, culminating in a shared home.

In November 2022, Michelle revealed her muted excitement at the news. She shared how she reacted to the news in front of her daughters with a cool response, noting how their decision was interesting. She was extremely happy and grateful that they had found solace in each other.

The sisters settled into their Los Angeles apartment, decorating on a budget with yard-sale finds and Ikea pieces. While they continued to grow closer, Michelle remained cautious about sharing too many details of their private lives.

Reflecting on her book “The Light We Carry,” Michelle admitted that while openness isn’t generally difficult for her, discussing her daughters meant setting firm boundaries.

She explained that Malia and Sasha reviewed any personal mentions beforehand and reiterated the need to protect them from unnecessary exposure, as they aren’t seeking the spotlight.

Still, their family dynamic remains strong while Malia and Sasha chart their own paths. Michelle and Barack welcomed their first daughter in July 1998. Now 26, Malia received a special birthday post from her father in July 2024.

Barack shared a throwback photo of them holding hands, and in the accompanying caption, he wrote, “Happy birthday, Malia. One of the greatest joys of my life is watching you grow into the extraordinary woman you’ve become today — and the fact that you’re still willing to hold your dad’s hand in public!”

Malia’s parents have long admired her gentle, reflective nature — qualities they saw even in her youth. She enjoyed collecting keychains, took drama classes, and showed self-sufficiency early on.

Barack recalled a sweet memory of a then-six-year-old Malia asking him if they were rich and being content not to live lavishly, demonstrating a level of empathy that struck him.

Her sense of independence became clearer as she graduated from Sidwell Friends School in 2016 and took a gap year before enrolling at Harvard.

The Obamas prepared to leave the White House around this time, and Barack confessed how quickly his daughter was growing up.

Malia eventually found her calling in entertainment, graduating from Harvard in 2021 and stepping into film and TV. She directed the 2023 short drama “The Heart.”

She also made her television-writing debut with the Prime Video show “Swarm,” created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers. Described as a phenomenal writer with bold ideas, Malia impressed her colleagues and gained on-set experience as she forged a career in Hollywood.

Donald later recruited her as a staff writer for the series, where she collaborated with Stephen Glover, Ibra Ake, and other industry professionals. Malia’s role in the “Swarm” writers’ room brought a fresh perspective to the show’s storytelling. With the series centered on characters in their 20s, Janine valued her insights.

Malia’s hard work paid off even further when “The Heart” earned the New Generation prize at the Festival de Deauville in September 2024.

Photographs from the event sparked comparisons to both her mom and dad, as netizens marveled at how similar Malia looks to Barack, yet still showcases qualities from Michelle as well.

As Malia continues making strides in the entertainment industry, Sasha has embraced her own journey, earning just as much love and admiration from her family.

Barack and Michelle’s second daughter arrived in June 2001. Celebrating Sasha’s 21st birthday in June 2022, Barack posted a sweet throwback of him cradling her as a baby, calling her his “baby girl” and marveling at her growth.

Known for her vibrant spirit, Sasha’s comic timing often warmed the Obama home. Barack recalled an early morning moment when Michelle turned on the lights, and Sasha made a declaration about peace being — prompting them to jokingly adopt the phrase whenever they needed quiet.

After a diverse childhood including sports, arts, and music lessons, Sasha graduated from Sidwell Friends in 2019 and began her college career at the University of Michigan. Eventually, she continued her studies at the University of Southern California, where she earned a sociology degree in May 2023.

In a subsequent birthday post, many people pointed out her strong resemblance to Michelle, with one person praising how Sasha is as beautiful as her mother.

Michelle has enjoyed witnessing her daughters evolve into adulthood. She once joked on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that Malia and Sasha, who used to adore the Jonas Brothers, now brought grown men home.

The former FLOTUS also credited her own mom’s advice about raising her girls to be responsible, independent individuals.