Except for their last name and world-famous faces, Barack and Michelle Obama were just like so many other parents earlier this year when, as late summer began crisping into fall, they sent off their youngest to school.
“Time just goes so fast. But like so many experiences in the last 10 years, we wanted to make it feel as normal as possible, given our family’s circumstances,” the former first lady tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, reflecting on 18-year-old daughter Sasha Obama‘s next chapter. Sasha Obama Is Back In The Spotlight Thanks To This Stunning Photo And Michelle Obama's Emotional Story About Her First Day In College.
“It was, of course, a little emotional to drop Sasha off at college,” says Mrs. Obama, admitting “the tough part” has been “missing our girls.”
“It’s an adjustment to see each other for a weekend here, a holiday breaks there, but the moments we do spend together feel extra special because of it,” she says.
And when Sasha is in her college dorm (the Obamas have asked to keep private where she is enrolled) she will still be surrounded by the familiarity of family.
“We were there, just like most parents, helping her unpack and make her dorm room feel like home,” Mrs. Obama says.
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“But by and large, we let her take care of herself,” she continues. “As a parent, one of the most important things we can give our children is the freedom to find their own way in the world.”
Echoing what she wrote for PEOPLE in a special Mother’s Day essay earlier this year, Mrs. Obama says, “I first learned this truth from my own mother, who made sure my brother and I had plenty of space to speak our minds, make mistakes, and follow our passions, wherever they might lead. I try to do the same with Sasha and Malia, honoring the unique flame each of them has inside.”
“They are their own people, and that’s what I love about them,” Mrs. Obama says. “And they’ve got to have room to breathe and explore.”
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