All Grown Up: Malia Obama Through The Years (2 of 9)

From obscurity to first daughter

Although Barack Obama had worked in Washington since he was sworn in as a US Senator in 2005, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha didn’t join him in the nation’s capital until he won the presidency four years later. Upon their arrival at the White House, their new home, the incoming First Daughters were given a grand tour courtesy of Jenna and Barbara Bush, the outgoing First Daughters. Ten at the time, being so quickly thrust into the spotlight must have come as a shock to Malia and her then-seven-year-old sister. Nonetheless, as the guest on an episode of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Michelle shared that she and Barack did what they could to give their daughters as normal of a life as possible given the circumstances. This meant attending parent-teacher conferences and supporting their children at their soccer and basketball games.

She spent most of her formative years living in the White House

When you’re a member of the First Family, having a security detail tag along with you at all times is one of those realities. On the bright side, this means acquiring a cool Secret Service code name. Following the White House tradition of having all family members assigned a code name that starts with the same letter, the Obamas opted for “R.” In Malia’s case, it was “Radiance.” The President was “Renegade,” the First Lady was “Renaissance,” and Little Sis was “Rosebud.” The Secret Service was present for many milestones in Malia’s life, from sleepovers to her first dates, although it could sometimes be intrusive. Michelle Obama reflected on the challenges of parenting in the White House on her podcast, acknowledging the difficulties of balancing their South Side of Chicago upbringing with the opulence of the presidential mansion. Despite the challenges, Michelle’s brother Craig praised the collective effort of Barack, Michelle, and their mother Marian in raising the girls to be well-adjusted individuals.