People.com Celebrity Parents Michelle Obama: My Girls Prefer to Skip White House Sleepovers "I thought I would have kids over every weekend," Obama admits. "So it's surprising." By Staff Author Updated on December 1, 2020 08:32 PM Share Tweet Pin Email As the first First Family in years to be raising young children in the White House, the Obamas expected their new living space would be a frequent play date destination, according toMichelle Obama. But apparently that’s not the case, with Sasha, 10, and Malia, 13, preferring to spend time at their friends’ homes. “My kids are like every other kid in the sense that everybody else’s house is more interesting than their house,” Obama, 48, said Thursday during a Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day roundtable with women’s online outlets for her Let’s Move! initiative. “We do sleepovers, but [The White House] is not their first choice.” The First Lady reenacted a typical exchange with her daughters, who apparently are unimpressed with living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “It’s like, ‘Well, don’t you think it’d be interesting for your friends to be here?’ ‘I don’t care,'” she jokes. “I thought I would have kids over every weekend,” Obama admits. “So it’s surprising.” But while Sasha and Malia might be less than wide-eyed about living in a national landmark, Obama says they still view herself and President Barack Obama as role models. “I think in the end our kids look up to us, first and foremost, whether they admit it or not,” she tells PEOPLE. “We are our kids’ first and best role models … Everyone else is just a symbol of something. You don’t really get to know them well enough to idolize them or to have them impact your lives unless you’ve had a unique experience.” As far as celebrity icons, Obama says her daughters share her own admiration for Beyoncé, who was recently named PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful Woman. “My girls love Beyoncé. They’ve met her, but they don’t know her,” the First Lady says. “They think she’s cool, they love dancing. She seems like a good mom. They’re rooting for her, but they know me. So I think for them, that’s why I’ve got to have my stuff together.” — Liz Raftery with reporting by Shanelle Rein-Olowokere Related Articles Barack Obama Celebrates Wife Michelle on Mother's Day as Role Model to 'So Many' Barack and Michelle Obama Celebrate Easter with Throwback Family Photos: 'A Day of Joy and Renewal' Michelle Obama Shares Update on Daughters Malia and Sasha: 'They Have Boyfriends and Real Lives' Michelle Obama Shares Sweet Picture of Her Mom and Daughters for Mother's Day: 'I'm So Thankful' The Most Adorable Photos of the Obama Family Barack and Michelle Obama Share Sweet Tributes for 29th Wedding Anniversary: 'Can't Imagine Life Without You' Obama Kids Dreaming of a White (House) Christmas Michelle Obama Dishes on How Sasha Is Living Large While Malia Is Away at College Michelle Obama on Malia and Sasha Leaving the White House: 'The Girls Will Have a Tough Time' 'We Want Pizza and We Want Nuggets': Michelle Obama Dishes About Malia and Sasha's Slumber Party on Final Night in the White House Harvard-Bound Malia Obama Is Ready to Fly the Nest – but Michelle Insists 'She's Still a Baby' How Michelle Obama Tries to Make a Normal Life for Her Kids Growing Up in the White House Michelle Obama Says She & Barack Are Rediscovering Romance After the White House: 'It's Just the Two of Us' Michelle Obama Shares Her Prayer for the Nation: 'My Desire Is That We Remain Hopeful' Michelle Obama Reveals Her Silver Fox Husband's Hair-Dye Secrets Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies