Michelle Obama reveals her parenting clashes with Barack Obama

In a recent episode of her podcast, Michelle Obama discussed the challenges of parenting alongside her husband, Barack Obama, highlighting their differing views on child-rearing techniques. This candid conversation took place as she spoke with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and her brother Craig Robinson, providing insights into the complexities of raising their daughters, Malia and Sasha, now 26 and 24 years old, respectively. The discussion particularly focused on their experience with the Ferber method, a technique designed to help babies sleep by allowing them to cry for brief periods before being comforted. Michelle admitted she was uncertain about this method and was uncomfortable with the idea of letting her children cry, which led to conflicts with Barack, who supported its implementation. To navigate this disagreement, they established a system where Barack took the lead during nighttime, allowing Michelle to sleep while also covering her ears to cope with the cries of their children. Ultimately, Michelle noted that the method was effective, showing results after just a week. Furthermore, during the podcast, she expressed her relief that she and Barack did not have a son, due to concerns about what that might entail, joking about the expectations surrounding a potential child named after her husband. In a broader context, Michelle reflected on her ambitions and how they have evolved over time, stating that she is now in a phase where she seeks to integrate her public and private self more seamlessly, often saying 'no' to societal expectations and focusing on what she wants for herself.