Michelle Obama discusses life as an empty nester on podcast

Former First Lady Michelle Obama has sparked online discussion following candid remarks about her life as an empty nester on her podcast, ‘IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson’. During an episode featuring guest Jon Stewart, Obama discussed the transition of her daughters, Malia and Sasha, moving out of the family home.

Obama joked that she ‘doesn’t miss’ the daily presence of her children, noting that while she loves them, she enjoys the freedom of no longer having her schedule dictated by their needs. She contrasted her reaction with that of her husband, Barack Obama, stating, ‘Barack cried when they went to college and I was like, ‘Bye...’’. She added that her Friday nights are no longer ‘wracked with terror and fear’ regarding their whereabouts and expressed pride in watching her daughters' growth and independence.