Michelle Obama shared the sweetest notes in honor of Mother’s Day 2019 this past weekend. Not only did the former First Lady pen an essay in recognition of the holiday, but Mrs. Obama also shared new photos of her daughters, Sasha and Malia, with her Instagram fans.
Of course, Mother’s Day 2019 would not have been the same for Michelle had she not honored her mother, Marian Shields Robinson. “Growing up, every time I’d come home from school with a story to share, my mother was there with a snack and a listening ear to hear about what was on my mind,” Mrs. Obama wrote online.
“When I came home with a tale about my disastrous second-grade classroom, she marched into the school to figure out what was going on. And as I grew older, including up through my years as First Lady, she was always there for me as a guiding light through whatever fog was clouding my path. She’s always listened more than she lectured; observed more than she demonstrated. In doing so, she allowed me to think for myself and develop my own voice.”
It was the wisdom that Mrs. Robinson exhibited when rearing Michelle and her brother, Craig Robinson, that has helped the former First Lady learn how to give Sasha and Malia their independence in life.
“[My mom] and my father, Fraser, were wholly invested in their children, pouring a deep and durable foundation of goodness and honesty, of right and wrong, into my brother and me. After that, they simply let us be ourselves,” Michelle shares in an exclusive essay written for PEOPLE.
“I see now how important that kind of freedom is for all children, particularly for girls with flames of their own — flames the world might try to dim,” the former First Lady continues. “It’s up to us, as mothers and mother-figures, to give the girls in our lives the kind of support that keeps their flame lit and lifts up their voices — not necessarily with our own words, but by letting them find the words themselves.”
Malia Obama began her first year at Harvard University in 2017 after taking a gap year. Sasha Obama is reportedly thinking of attending the University of Michigan in the coming months. Stay tuned for more celebrity family news!
Photos: Michelle Obama/Instagram
