Why Sasha And Malia Obama Weren't Given Birthday Presents From Barack And Michelle As Kids

On the outside, it certainly seemed like Malia and Sasha Obama adopted a rather lavish lifestyle during their father, Barack Obama's, two presidential terms. In reality, however, Former First Lady Michelle Obama ensured that their glamorous environs didn't get to her young daughters' heads. Speaking to People in 2008, Michelle shared that she gave Malia and Sasha several reality checks throughout their time growing up in The White House. In addition to picking up chores, getting an allowance, and having strict bedtimes just like regular children, the former first daughters notably weren't treated to over-to-the-top birthday parties. In fact, the "Becoming" author revealed that she and Barack didn't even give their little girls presents to celebrate their birthdays either. 

"We spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday party and movie tickets and pizza and popcorn," Michelle reasoned. Her husband echoed her sentiment by arguing, "That sleepover is enough. We want to teach some limits to them. And their friends bring over presents." Their celebrations were usually low-key affairs where the girls kept to themselves, with the former president supervising for a bit and then disappearing until it was time for cake. Barack went on to detail their plans for their eldest's birthday: "We're going to go swimming, see 'Wall-E,' make pizzas, have sundaes." Additionally, Barack and Michelle also let their daughters know just how much they loved them through heartfelt Instagram tributes. In fact, Michelle's adorable 2024 birthday post for Sasha highlighted how different their close-knit family is to the Trumps.

Although Barack and Michelle Obama undoubtedly tried their hardest to give their daughters a sense of normalcy in a fishbowl environment, safety concerns understandably prevented the girls from having the same level of freedom as other kids their age. During a 2019 appearance on "CBS This Morning," the former first lady disclosed the conversation that they would typically have with the parents of any friend who invited Sasha and Malia over for a sleepover: "'Hello. OK, we're going to need your Social Security number, we're going to need your date of birth. There are going to be men coming to sweep your house, if you have guns and drugs, just tell them yes because they are going to find them anyway."

If that wasn't awkward enough already, they also had to warn the family that an armed bodyguard would be outside their residence during the sleepover, and politely request to let him have access to their bathroom. Of course, that conversation wasn't nearly as tricky as what Malia and Sasha endured as teenagers. While appearing on "The Late Late Show With James Corden" in 2021, Barack confirmed that his daughters also had to be accompanied by Secret Service agents when they went out on dates. He joked that Malia and Sasha probably wouldn't ever recover from the discomfort caused by the agents "talking into their wrist microphones and glasses as they're trying to go to a music concert."

During Michelle Obama's speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, she admitted to feeling uneasy watching 10-year-old Malia Obama and 8-year-old Sasha Obama getting into a car with armed Secret Service agents just to go to school. The odd sight made the bestselling author realize that their years under the spotlight could completely change the little girls' lives for better or worse. So, Michelle and Barack Obama actively worked to instill some crucial lessons in them early on. As the "Becoming" star explained to People, Malia and Sasha were instructed to always be empathetic, and her husband urged them to think of themselves as equals to their peers. 

In a 2021 episode of the "Moments That Make Us" podcast, Michelle pointed out that the girls went through a major learning curve as they adapted to their sudden fame when Barack became president. "They had to learn how to balance the unwanted attention, but do it politely," she explained. "To build their own lives in the spotlight and not be eaten up by it." Ultimately, though, all the highs and lows helped Malia and Sasha grow into strong women whom their parents cannot stop gushing about. While delivering his farewell speech in 2017, Barack shouted them out: "You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad," (via People).