Obama transition officers have reported that Marian Robinson, mother of the soon-to-be First lady Michelle Obama, will accompany the Obama family moving in to the White House, particularly with the aim to help the girls - Malia and Sasha - in acclimatizing to their new surroundings.

It is publicly known that during the course of the arduous Presidential campaign, Robinson, 71, helped Michelle and Barack Obama in the sense that she undertook the responsibility of caring for their daughters - to the extent that she even retired from her bank job.

Acknowledging support she provided to the family, President-elect Obama, shortly after being elected, said in an interview with "60 Minutes" that he would like his mother-in-law to move in permanently with them.

Obama said: "I think it's fair to say that Marian Robinson is one of the unsung heroes of this campaign. We couldn't have done it without her. She retired, looked after the girls, gave Michelle confidence that somebody was gonna be there when Michelle was on the road."

Robinson is in Washington already, initially for the time being though. According to Obama aides, the decision about her living in the White House or in Washington in the long term is not yet finalized because a permanent move would be a big change for her. For five decades, she has lived in the same house in Chicago, and she has her group of friends there.