Washington, D.C. — Former U.S. President Barack Obama has revealed that he’s relieved he never had a son, opening up about the complexities of fatherhood and why raising daughters felt more natural for him.
Speaking on The Light, the podcast hosted by his wife Michelle Obama, the 44th president reflected on the emotional terrain of raising children—especially boys.
“I think I would have had more difficulty raising a son,” Obama said.
“I might’ve been more judgmental, harder.”
His candid comments echoed those of Michelle Obama, who has previously said she’s “glad” not to have raised a boy, noting that the pressure of growing up in the shadow of someone like Barack would have been overwhelming.
‘He Would’ve Been Barack Obama’
On her own podcast IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, Michelle joked that if they had a boy,
“He would’ve been Barack Obama.”
She added with empathy:
“I would have felt for him.”
Her comments came during a light-hearted exchange with guest Angie Martinez, who had suggested they should’ve “added a boy to the tribe.” But beneath the laughter was a sincere acknowledgment of the pressures that come with being the child of a historic figure.
A Father’s Honest Reflection
Barack Obama admitted that father-son dynamics, particularly in the absence of a strong paternal model, would have been especially hard to navigate.
“If I don’t have a dad around to show it to me, it might’ve been more difficult,” he said.
Obama has frequently spoken about his own father’s absence and how that shaped his identity. Raising two daughters, Malia and Sasha, allowed him to develop a nurturing, emotionally open parenting style—something he believes might have been more complicated with a son.
“I’d like to think I would have been self-aware enough to combat that,” he said. “But the truth is, it would have been a challenge.”
A Different Kind of Legacy
While the Obamas remain one of the most closely watched families in the world, their daughters have largely grown up outside the public eye—with both parents prioritizing emotional balance and normalcy over political spotlight.
Barack and Michelle’s comments serve as a refreshingly honest look at parenting, masculinity, and the emotional responsibilities of raising children in a high-pressure world. Their reflections also open broader conversations about how society shapes expectations for boys versus girls—and how even global icons like the Obamas grapple with those realities.
