I Want to Live With My Mom

Summary

Podcast Summary: "I Want to Live With My Mom"

The Dr. Laura Podcast — October 25, 2025
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Featured Caller: Kayla (14-year-old listener)

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Episode Overview

This emotionally charged episode centers on a call from Kayla, a 14-year-old girl deeply troubled by her family situation. After her parents' divorce, Kayla’s father remarried a woman Kayla considers “mean,” and she’s torn between wanting to live with her mother full time and her love for her father. The discussion covers coping with difficult family dynamics, recognizing emotional and legal boundaries, and strategies for personal safety and emotional wellbeing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kayla's Dilemma and Emotional Conflict

• Kayla describes the pain of having her father leave, his remarriage, and feeling mistreated by both her father and stepmother.
• She voices fear about the repercussions if she asks to stay with her mother full time, revealing her fear of being further alienated or punished by her father.

Notable Quotes

• Kayla (Caller) [01:20]:
  “I'm 14 years old and I'm calling because my parents got divorced when I was three and my dad left me and my family and married a woman that is like mean to me and my sister. ... I'm torn because I really want to live full time at my mom's house. But I still love my dad and I'm like scared that if I tell him and it doesn't work out that the consequences that I will face would be like awful. Like really bad.”

2. Dr. Laura’s Immediate Reaction & Validation

• Dr. Laura quickly recognizes the seriousness of Kayla’s situation and validates her fears, gently humorously referring to Kayla’s stepmother as the “Wicked Witch of the West.”
• She quotes Kayla’s concerns, reinforcing that her worries are justified.

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Laura [01:49]:
  “You're probably right. So sitting and telling him that you don't like his wife... it's not going to bode well for you nor your sister.”

3. Examples of Mistreatment and Emotional Abuse

• Kayla recounts instances of punitive actions, such as being withheld food at dinner by both her father and stepmother as punishment for a minor mistake relating to the dog.
• Dr. Laura points out that this is not just “mean” behavior, but potentially illegal and abusive.

Notable Quotes

• Kayla (Caller) [02:28]:
  “We just got this new dog and... I accidentally didn’t zip the crate up and he got outside when we left and my dad withheld food from me at the dinner table. Like I couldn't eat... I had to watch them eat in front of me. And then my stepmom did the same thing.”
• Dr. Laura [02:52]:
  “Wait a minute. That's your dad being mean.”

4. Dr. Laura's Recommendations: Defining Boundaries & Seeking Help

• Dr. Laura offers practical advice for immediate safety, including calling her mother if Kayla is ever refused basic needs again.
• She raises concerns about the environment, labelling Kayla’s father and stepmother as “wacko people” and “potentially dangerous.”
• Dr. Laura suggests that Kayla’s mother should provide her with a “call-only” phone to secretively contact for help if necessary, emphasizing the need to keep it hidden—even from her little sister for safety reasons.

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Laura [03:19]:
  “If something like not allowing you to eat happens, I believe you should call home and have your mother come and get you because starving you is against the law.”
• Dr. Laura [06:21]:
  “Get her one of those phones that the only thing it does is call, and she's going to have to sneak it into their house so she can call you for help... Don’t even let your little sister know you have it because she’ll blab.”
• Dr. Laura [06:49]:
  "You're going to have to be able to call when you need help because these are two potentially dangerous people... this guy is a bad dude.”

5. Empowerment and Emotional Resolution

• Dr. Laura encourages Kayla to find inner strength to protect herself and her younger sister, pointing out the unfortunate but real need for vigilance.
• The conversation closes with Dr. Laura's compassion and encouragement for Kayla.

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Laura [07:09]:
  “So you're going to have to protect yourself. Do you understand me? At 14, you need to be strong enough to protect yourself and your sister.”
• Kayla (Caller) [07:18]:
  “Okay.”
• Dr. Laura [07:26]:
  “Thank you both for calling. And Kayla, I'm sorry your mommy made a mistake and picked the wrong guy. Sorry. It happens. Don't do the same.”

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Notable Moments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:14 | Kayla introduces her situation and emotional conflict | | 02:28 | Kayla describes being punished by her dad and stepmom — key example of emotional abuse | | 03:19 | Dr. Laura recommends calling her mom if she’s denied food or safety | | 06:21 | Plan for Kayla to have a secret phone for emergencies | | 07:09 | Dr. Laura encourages Kayla’s strength and self-protection | | 07:26 | Episode closes with supportive words for Kayla and her mother |

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Episode Takeaways

• Emotional Abuse Recognition: Dr. Laura highlights the importance of recognizing behavior that crosses from strict parenting into emotional abuse and acknowledges the emotional trauma inherent in Kayla’s situation.
• Legal & Safety Boundaries: She provides clear advice regarding the illegality and moral unacceptability of withholding food or denying communication with a parent.
• Empowerment for Young People: Dr. Laura empowers Kayla, stressing vigilance, resourcefulness, and self-protection when adults fail in their duties.
• Compassion and Hope: Despite harsh truths, Dr. Laura closes with compassion, encouraging Kayla and her mother to break dysfunctional cycles in the future.

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Listener Tips:
For children or teens in difficult custody or step-family dynamics, being able to recognize unsafe situations, finding trusted adults to confide in, and having a discreet way to call for help are crucial steps. Dr. Laura’s approach is both pragmatic and empathetic, aiming to provide immediate safety and long-term emotional resilience.

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Transcript

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[Dr. Laura]

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[Dr. Laura]

Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast.

[Ella Langley]

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[Dr. Laura]

Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Grandma and Kayla, welcome to the program.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Hi Dr. Laura. Thank you for taking my call.

[Dr. Laura]

You're welcome, Kayla.

[Kayla (Caller)]

I'm 14 years old and I'm calling because my parents got divorced when I was three and my dad left me and my family and married a woman that is like mean to me and my sister. And I'm torn because I really want to live full time at my mom's house. But I still love my dad and I'm like scared that if I tell him and it doesn't work out that the consequences that I will face would be like awful. Like really bad.

[Dr. Laura]

You're probably right. So sitting and telling him that you don't like his wife. You're right, it's not going to bode well for you nor your sister. So how can we figure out together here right now how to get along with the Wicked Witch of the West? I'm sorry, Your stepmother better. You have any ideas?

[Kayla (Caller)]

No.

[Dr. Laura]

Well, tell me some of the situations that you experience and you think she's being mean.

[Kayla (Caller)]

So for one instance we like just got this new dog and me like I had to go put him in the crate and I accidentally like didn't zip the crate up and he got outside when we left and my dad withheld food from me at the dinner table. Like I couldn't eat because. And I had to watch them eat in front of me. And then my stepmom did the same thing.

[Dr. Laura]

Wait a minute. Wait, wait a minute. That's your dad being mean.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Yeah, they both are, but my stepmom's worse.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, but they're both mean. Which. Well, walking out on his family when you were three, that was kind of mean.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Yeah, very mean.

[Dr. Laura]

And little girls want a daddy. And little girls, because I was a little girl, want to use the love term when it really is need you need a daddy. This one's kind of crappy, but if you're going to go over there, you're going to have to tolerate this. Frankly, if something like not allowing you to eat happens, I believe you should call home and have your mother come and get you because starving you is against the law.

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[Dr. Laura]

911, what is your emergency?

[Kayla (Caller)]

Get off the field.

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[Kayla (Caller)]

He. Yeah, I don't like, but I have this dog at his house and he won't let me, like, call my mom from it at the time. Like, he wouldn't let me have her number on it.

[Dr. Laura]

Get her one of those phones that the only thing it does is call, and she's going to have to sneak it into their house so she can call you for help. She's going to need one of those little phones that just makes calls. And Kayla, you're going to have to. Don't even let your little sister know you have it because she'll blab. And you're going to have to be able to call when you need help because these are two potentially dangerous people. They don't want you to be able to call your mother. There's something really sick here, and I'm just going to say it blunt out. I know you're 14 and you really want to have a daddy, but this guy is a bad dude.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Agreed.

[Dr. Laura]

So you're going to have to protect yourself. Do you understand me? At 14, you need to be strong enough to protect yourself and your sister.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Okay?

[Dr. Laura]

I'm counting on you.

[Kayla (Caller)]

Okay. Thank you, Dr. Laura.

[Dr. Laura]

Thank you both for calling. And Kayla, I'm sorry your mommy made a mistake and picked the wrong guy. Sorry. It happens. Don't do the same. My number, 1-800-375-2872. Those are bad people. Forced to sit there and watch everybody eat. Won't allow her to call her mom in an emergency. These are wacko people. My number, 1-800-375-2872. Check out my social media on Facebook and Instagram. I post stories, photos and videos seven days a week and feature some of what you've sent me, too. There's always something interesting going on there. You can find me at facebook.com DrLora and instagram.com DrLauraprogram.

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