On Friday, President Obama visited the set of Good Morning America.
And among the many things he had to talk about, being that it was the beginning of Father’s Day Weekend, he got to talk about his two favorite people on the planet: Malia and Sasha.
We’ve put together some of his best quotes from the interview with the cutest pictures of the Pres and the first daughters over the years.
Flip through, reminisce about your dad and find some inspiration for life with your children. Happy Father’s Day!
On the day Malia was born and becoming a Dad for the first time:
Some time around 5, 6 in the morning, Michelle kinda jostles me and says “I think it’s getting to be time. It was like out of a sitcom: I jump up, and I’m looking for the bag, fumbling for the car keys. Malia was delivered at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. And it was love at first sight. Feeding her, burping her, changing her diapers… and now she’s 5’10.
On Malia turning 13 and dealing with his teenage girls
Malia and Sasha, for whatever reasons, and I think Michelle gets the lion’s share of the credit, they’re smart, they’re funny, but most importantly, they’re kind, they’re respectful, they’re responsible, they’re well-behaved. I could not ask for better kids. I’m not anticipating complete mayhem for the next four or five years, but, I understand teenage-hood is complicated. I should also point out that I have men with guns that surround them, often. And a great incentive for running for reelection is that means they never get in a car with a boy who had a beer. And that’s a pretty good thing.
On balancing fatherhood and the Oval Office
What’s worked for us, is making sure that there’s certain blocks of time that are family time. And now, as President, I have this huge advantage: I live over the store. At 6:30, no matter how busy I am – unless there was an actual national emergency – I’m up and I’m having dinner with the kids. So, for an hour to an hour and a half, my only focus is them.
On his best Father’s Day with the girls
Perfect day on Father’s Day is just spending time with them. When I think about my most recent memory [of] a day with them that was perfect: we were up in Maine for a couple of days and we just went out and looked at a lighthouse. And then we took a walk through this preserve. And Malia started singing and making up a song that had to do with an armadillo who was lonely. And she was just making it up off the top of her head. Sasha’s behind saying, “That song’s terrible.” And Malia’s laughing about how bad her song is. It is not the big, spectacular moments. It’s not the lavish birthday parties. It’s not the big gifts. It is those moments when you are together and you’re enjoying each other’s company. That’s the stuff that last. And I suspect that’s what is also gonna last for them.
On which of the girls will continue his political legacy
I don’t think either of them will go into politics. Malia is as emotionally intelligent as anybody I know. Child or adult. She is attune to where people are at, how they’re feeling, what they’re thinking. You can see Sasha having that, “I’m gonna go out there and take on the world” kind of attitude. But so far, I do not see any inkling of interest.
On enjoying fatherhood in the moment
There are times when I walk into the room with Michelle and the girls are sitting there. They start laughing, they start teasing me. And Michelle loves to jump in on that. And I’ll be able to pull out of that moment and say “This is really good. This is important.” Take a snapshot of that moment. And at the end of your life, as you look back as to what was worth it, this will be one of those things that’s worth it.
