Michelle Obama Reflects on Parenting Disagreement with Barack

Michelle Obama shared insights on her differing views with Barack Obama when it comes to parenting methods, specifically regarding sleep training for their daughters, Sasha and Malia.

In a recent episode of her podcast “IMO,” she discussed the Faber method, created by physician Richard Farber, which involves letting a child cry for a certain period before being comforted. This approach was something they had initially opposed.

During her conversation with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, Michelle acknowledged that both she and Barack had used the method, although not initially embracing it. “I didn’t want to do it,” she remarked, adding that Barack took the lead while she felt unsure about the practice.

At 61, Michelle expressed her discomfort with the idea of allowing a child to cry, suggesting it may be linked to her postnatal hormone levels. “I can’t even do that,” she admitted candidly.

She recounted a system they set up where Barack would take on the night shifts while she rested. Michelle mentioned that she would often “literally cover her ears” to avoid hearing her daughter’s cries during those evenings.

Reflecting on the effectiveness of the method, she noted, “It took less than a week for it to work,” crediting their early start as a critical factor in its success.

Michelle explained that they faced increased challenges when they began to wean one of their daughters from breastfeeding around four or five months. “It’s so fast that she learned quickly,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of prompt action in parenting. The couple, married in 1992, are proud parents to 26-year-old Malia and 24-year-old Sasha.