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The Obamas' young nephews stand in for first daughter at holiday appearances

"This is what happens when you get teenagers," Michelle Obama says

CNN  — 

Parents of teenagers, Michelle Obama feels you.

For a second time this week, it was the Obamas’ young nephews who stood alongside the President and first lady at a holiday-related appearance – roles traditionally filled by first daughters Sasha and Malia.

Seems the annual pun-filled turkey pardon and awkward unveiling of the White House Christmas tree are more suited for the 4- to 6-year-old age group than the 15- to 18-year-old bracket.

“These are our replacement kids,” the first lady joked Friday at the tree unveiling. “This is what happens when you get teenagers. One’s asleep. These two are up. This is what we’ve got now.”

President Obama put it more bluntly at the turkey pardon, saying the girls couldn’t take another year of lines like, “Yes, we cran.”

Here’s what teenagers look like when their dads make terrible jokes:

Sasha (left) and Malia Obama at the 2015 turkey pardon. You can just hear their inner groans.

And here are Austin and Aaron Robinson at Wednesday’s pardon.

The President's nephews, Austin and Aaron Robinson, stood in for the girls at this year's pardon.

The brothers are the sons of the first lady’s brother, Craig Robinson.

Credit where its due: Sasha and Malia Obama have grown up in the White House and have gamely appeared at various photo ops through the years.

Just 8 and 11 when their father took office, they’re now young women with a promising future. Malia, 18, is headed to Harvard in 2017 and Sasha, 15, attends the prestigious DC private school Sidwell Friends.

With her dad soon to be out of a job, we imagine Sasha’s hoping he’ll be back on uncle duty when it’s time for prom chaperone volunteers.