Charming ‘princesses’ of White House

Senali S. Perera

Sasha and Malia with First Lady Michelle Obama

US President Barack Obama accompanied by (from L-R ) First Lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia appears on stage on election night November 6, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. Picture Courtesy AFP. US President Barack Obama and daughters Sasha (C) and Malia look at the turkey named Cobbler during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon on November 21 , 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC.

What is life like for a teenage girl when her Daddy gets re-elected as the President of the United States of America (USA)? As the First Daughters, do Malia Ann Obama and Natasha (Sasha) Obama feel the weight of responsibility on their shoulders? The first African-American President of the USA, Barack Obama who recently got re-elected and his wife the First Lady Michelle Obama is known to do their best to let their girls experience the normality of life despite the attention and responsibilities brought upon them due to their father's Presidency.

Malia Ann Obama, the older daughter of President Obama, was born on July 4, 1998 and her sister, President Obama's youngest daughter was born three years later, on June 10, 2001. Both girls were born in Chicago, Illinois. They attended the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in Chicago until January of 2009, when they began attending Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. They have continued to study there since.

The President has long maintained a commitment to allowing Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, to grow up as normally as possible, and pledged that over the next four years they would also have a special area in the White House for sleepovers with school friends.

Then what about dating? The two girls, stepping into the hazardous, exciting teen years must have had some special plans when it comes to dating guys. President Obama said his daughters will be allowed to date during his second term, but any prospective teenage boyfriends will have to deal with the Secret Service. Uh-oh!

In an interview, when asked about this subject, the President said: "I think that any young man who has the guts to get through Secret Service deserves a hearing." Good luck on that guys.

In his 2008 victory speech, Obama made his daughters a promise that led to the arrival for the family's dog Bo. This time he told them: "Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes you are growing up to be two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom. And I am so proud of you guys. But I will say, for now, one dog's probably enough."

Bo (a Portuguese water dog) was a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy and was chosen because he is hypoallergenic (Malia has allergies). Bo has his own section on the White House website. The White House has referred to him as the "First Dog," a term occasionally used during recent US administrations. Imagine that.

In 2009 Ty Inc, the company behind Beanie Babies, made Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia dolls in honour of the First Daughters. They made dolls that looked like the First Daughters! Cute, huh? They both look a little identical. But still. They resemble the First Daughters and that is special.

US President Barack Obama speaks as he takes part in the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon on November 21 , 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. Looking on are Obama’s daughters (from left) Malia and Sasha.

US President Barack Obama talks with a shopkeeper alongside his daughters Sasha (C) and Malia (R) during a shopping trip to One More Page Books in Virginia

Sasha Obama was the youngest child to live in The White House since JFK junior in 1961. She was seven when she first started hanging out in The West Wing. She and her sister Malia have so far been carefully shielded from the glare of publicity by their parents. The public has seen them only in choreographed glimpses, including on their first day at school in Washington, watching the Super Bowl, and when the president coached Sasha's basketball team.

About that. In an interview with ESPN.com, Obama spoke about sports in general, about the landmark law banning discrimination against women in sports, and about his past three years of informal coaching of daughter Sasha's girls' basketball team.

A longtime hoops fan, Obama said he offered his services to assist the parent who was the coach, because she had not played basketball before.

"On Sunday, we would have (the team) over to the gym over here (at the White House) and we would run drills and we would run plays," he said. "It ended up being the most fun I have had doing anything over the past couple of years." Lucky Sasha. Her father turns out to be a 'fun' president who actually enjoys playing 'coach' Obama for her team. How awesome is that?

And it turns out Malia is Daddy's girl. The public captured a glimpse of the girls on their first day of school.

"I know Malia was really embarrassed when I walked her to the classroom," President Obama says, "but I went anyway, because she is Daddy's girl, and will remain Daddy's girl until she is about 30."

The President says that the first lady "Michelle is very good about making sure that we are creating a space for them where they can have sleepovers. They can go to the mall. They can go to the movies. They are going to homecomings at their school." The President has promised Malia that she will be able to learn to drive, rather than being ferried around by the Secret Service. Now there will be more milestones in that big White House, including homecomings, proms, learning to drive and first dates.

However, unlike the vast majority of their contemporaries, the Obama girls will not be on Facebook. Michelle Obama told ABC News last month that she has had serious conversations with them about the perils of the internet and social media, and has told her children they have a "little extra burden" to carry in how they behave. She told them: "You cannot go off on somebody, you cannot act bratty. Because you may be having a moment, but somebody could use that moment and try to define you forever. So you want to be cognizant of that. So there you go Malia. There is your hardship. You are not going to have Facebook for a long time." Wow.

As their father once said in an interview, "They are smart, they are funny. But most importantly, they are kind, they are respectful, they are responsible, they are well behaved. I could not ask for better kids."

The girls need normal lives just like the other teenagers. They deserve it. But, as they say, nothings good comes easy. So Natasha and Malia will have to make a few sacrifices on the road to success. The lovely princesses have a long way to go. With their strong, loving parents by their side, anything will be possible.