Sisters, sisters — they can be so alike in some ways, and completely different in others, and according to Michelle Obama, her own daughters are no exception. In an episode of the podcast she co-hosts with her brother, the former FLOTUS shared how different her two girls were growing up, and revealed that to some extent, those differences in temperament (read: sassy vs easygoing) can even be seen today.

Speaking on “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson,” the “Becoming” author shared that from an early age, her firstborn had a penchant for finding out what people were interested in, then using that to connect with them. She joked, though, that Malia Obama had also learned to use that to her advantage. “She would tell me, ‘I’m going out this weekend, but I’m gonna go in and give dad 15 minutes.’ And she goes into the treaty room and, ‘Tell me about Syria.’ … Barack would come out of the treaty room going, ‘I just had an amazing conversation with Malia,'” Michelle laughed. Unfortunately, Sasha Obama wasn’t quite as keen to butter up Barack first, with Michelle comparing her to a cat. “She’s like, don’t touch me. Don’t pet me. I’m not pleasing you; you come to me,” Michelle shared of her youngest child, adding that sometimes that backfired. “Barack’s like, well, ‘She’s difficult,'” she recounted. Thankfully, Michelle picked up that they just had to meet the girls where they were at. She also shared that to this day, even though both Sasha and Malia have undergone transformations in some ways, “Temperamentally, they’re still like that.”

With both Sasha and Malia making it clear they aren’t fans of celebrity life, we’re not banking on either of them confirming or denying anything. That said, this isn’t the first time Michelle has pointed to their wildly different personalities. 

Her “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” conversation wasn’t the first occasion when the former first lady mentioned how different her kids’ personalities are. In fact, her 2022 book, “The Light We Carry,” made specific mention of a time she recognized just how different her children were. 

Recounting an instance when she tried and failed to get her kids to settle down, Michelle revealed that she told them that she was quitting being their mom. Malia Obama was devastated and immediately followed instructions — but her sister was another story. “No sooner had her sister shuffled obediently off, Sasha turned without a word and scampered back upstairs to the playroom, as if to say, ‘Finally! This lady is out of my business!'” Michelle recounted. Michelle went on to explain that it had been a major moment for her as a parent, and that it became something both she and Barack Obama picked up on in other moments. For instance, she shared that when asked about their days, Malia would give an extensive rundown, while Sasha would “answer you with five words before bouncing off to her bedroom.” Likewise, Michelle wrote that where Malia would often wait to make decisions after getting input from her and Barack, “Sasha thrived, just as I once had as a kid, when we trusted her to do her own thing.”

Despite having such different personalities, the siblings have remained close, and Malia and Sasha even started living together in Los Angeles after college. Of that, Michelle once told “Today” that her girls’ bond was the thing she was proudest of. Sasha may be sassy and Malia easygoing, but sisters are sisters, and we love to see how close they are.