![Official portrait of the Obama family in the Oval Office. - [Image courtesy – Pete Souza / Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/6/23/660x290/b_502x220x82/official-portrait-of-the-obama-family-in-the-oval-office-image-courtesy-pete-souza-wikimedia-commons_2038827.jpg "Official portrait of the Obama family in the Oval Office. - [Image courtesy – Pete Souza / Wikimedia Commons]")
Former First Lady Michelle Obama talked about portions of her memoir, “Becoming,” at the annual conference of the American Library Association in New Orleans. There was a large crowd in the city's convention center and the event was moderated by Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden. In the course of her talks, Michelle narrated experiences from her own life that shaped her career. The Daily Mail UK reports that Michelle Obama disclosed that her passion in the White House was always children. She explained children must be made to feel important and it was not an easy task to balance the work of being a first lady along with being a mother to two daughters who were growing up.
White House through the eyes of Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama went on to add that living in the White House had its share of problems. There were many protocols to be followed and most of them related to security. She brought up an incident pertaining to her husband Barack and his coming to their daughter’s school. Since he was the president, there would always be a group of Secret Service agents in attendance, which embarrassed Malia. In fact, he was not welcome at parent-teacher conferences.
The first lady also mentioned other situations of living in the White House that affected the lives of their daughters. In case they wanted to spend time with their friends at their house, they had to endure the company of the Secret Service, along with teams of commandos and sniffer dogs.
These made them feel uncomfortable because they did not get the freedom to enjoy life like other kids their age.
Michelle Obama and bringing up children
According to TVNZ, former First Lady Michelle Obama revealed that her memoir, "Becoming," is a "re-humanization effort." There is nothing extraordinary about the story, but it can help to give voice to those who feel voiceless.
She made the remarks at a conference in New Orleans where she shared snippets from the book. She acknowledged that the influence of her parents has shaped her life and career at the White House. From an early age, they had instilled in her the values that one must cherish in order to succeed. They taught her work ethics and showed that opinions of others also mattered and everyone has to contribute to finding a solution to any problem.
She was a lawyer and had been to Princeton and Harvard, but it ultimately came down to not only being the first lady but also being a mother to her two daughters. Addressing the young, single mothers in the audience, she said that "you weren't meant to parent in isolation… It truly takes a village to raise children. Build your village wherever you are."
