Former First Lady Michelle Obama has opened up about the wisdom she’s passed down to her daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, when it comes to navigating relationships.
Speaking on the August 6 episode of her IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson podcast, the 61-year-old pointed out the importance of keeping an open mind and learning from experiences.
“I just try to get them to stay open to people,” Michelle said. “The thing that I did do was date a lot. When Barack showed up, I had experiences to compare him against. I knew what I didn’t like, and what I did like.”
Michelle and former President Barack Obama, who married in 1992, often reflect on their own journey as part of that advice.
“We talk about our dating experiences and try to educate the girls by sharing what didn’t work,” she explained. “So my whole thing is date—a lot. And if you run into a bad date or have a bad experience, move on quickly. If it’s not working, next.”
Michelle also recalled her first impressions of Barack when they met in 1988 at her Chicago law firm, where she was assigned to mentor him as a summer associate. At first, she wasn’t impressed by his photo in the recruitment file.
“I thought, ‘Ugh, what kind of name is Barack Obama?’ I had this image of a nerdy guy,” she admitted with a laugh.
But a phone call shifted her perspective, and when they met for lunch, sparks began to fly.
“He was much cuter than his picture. We vibed. We had a great conversation, and there was definitely a spark that started at that lunch,” she said.
The Obamas’ love story—rooted in friendship, mutual respect, and shared values—continues to inspire, and Michelle hopes her daughters take those lessons into their own dating lives.
