TIME IN THE WHITE HOUSE, WE'VE

HAD THE JOY OF WATCHING THEM

GROW FROM BUBBLY LITTLE GIRLS

INTO POISED YOUNG WOMEN.

A JOURNEY THAT STARTED SOON

AFTER WE ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON.

WHEN THEY SET OFF FOR THEIR

FIRST DAY AT THEIR NEW SCHOOL.

I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT WINTER

MORNING AS I WATCHED OUR GIRLS,

JUST 7 AND 10 YEARS OLD, PILE

INTO THOSE BLACK SUVs WITH ALL

THOSE BIG MEN WITH GUNS.

AND I SAW THEIR LITTLE FACES

PRESSED UP AGAINST THE WINDOW,

AND THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK

WAS, WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

SEE, BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT, I

REALIZED THAT OUR TIME IN THE

WHITE HOUSE WOULD FORM THE

FOUNDATION FOR WHO THEY WOULD

BECOME AND HOW WELL WE MANAGED

THIS EXPERIENCE COULD TRULY MAKE

OR BREAK THEM.

THAT IS WHAT BARACK AND I THINK

ABOUT EVERY DAY AS WE TRY TO

GUIDE AND PROTECT OUR GIRLS

THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF THIS

UNUSUAL LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

HOW WE URGE THEM TO IGNORE THOSE

WHO QUESTION THEIR FATHER'S

CITIZENSHIP OR FAITH.

HOW WE INSIST THAT THE HATEFUL

LANGUAGE THEY HEAR FROM PUBLIC

FIGURES ON TV DOES NOT REPRESENT

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THIS COUNTRY.

HOW WE EXPLAIN THAT ONE SOMEONE

IS CRUEL OR ACTS LIKE A BULLY,