Episode Overview

Podcast: The Dr. Laura Podcast
Episode: My Daughter Doesn't Want Anything to Do with Me
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Air Date: December 7, 2025

This episode features a heartfelt, complex call between Dr. Laura and a mother distressed over her estranged relationship with her adult daughter. The caller seeks insight into why her daughter has cut off contact, sharing background involving a decades-old accusation of inappropriate behavior by a relative, as well as complex dynamics with extended family. Dr. Laura guides the caller to examine family loyalty, sibling relationships, and underlying emotional patterns.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Daughter’s Accusation and Estrangement

• [02:08-03:31]
  The caller describes how her 64-year-old daughter ceased communication after revealing, in her 50s, that she was inappropriately touched (“rubbed her stomach”) as a child by an uncle (the caller’s sister’s husband). The daughter cannot recall the exact details or setting.
• Dr. Laura’s Query:
  Dr. Laura asks about the nature and specifics of the accusation, probing for clarity about the event and its context.

2. Family Gatherings and Fractured Relationships

• [03:31-07:21]
  The caller explains the daughter’s ultimatum: her mother must cut off all ties with the sisters and brother-in-law or risk being cut off by her daughter. The caller refuses, stating, “I love my sisters. We’re all getting older. I’m not going to cut them out of my life.”
• Estrangement Extends:
  The daughter is also estranged from her own children, deepening the sense of isolation.

3. Dr. Laura’s Analysis and Direct Guidance

• [07:36-11:00]
  Dr. Laura encourages the caller to reflect: Why is the daughter demanding such loyalty? Is there an unspoken competition for the mother’s affection between the daughter and the sisters?
• Speculation on Dynamics:
  Dr. Laura asks, “Why would a daughter feel competitive with a mother's siblings over the mother? Is it that you really were closer to your siblings than your kids?”
  The caller denies it, but Dr. Laura pushes for honest self-reflection and deeper analysis.

4. Challenging “I Don’t Know” and Fostering Ownership

• [10:22-10:47]
  Dr. Laura confronts the caller’s repeated “I don’t know” responses:

  “I don’t tolerate ‘I don’t knows’ because that means I’m the only one working on the problem.”

• She notes the caller’s seeming reluctance to sacrifice sisterly ties for her daughter, questioning whether the alliance among the sisters has always taken precedence, consciously or not.

5. Final Thoughts and Homework

• [11:00-11:24]
  Dr. Laura summarizes the situation as a likely case of longstanding emotional competition and encourages the caller to “think about the quality of relationship with your sisters with respect to the attention that goes to your daughter.”
• The episode ends with Dr. Laura recommending the caller examine her family patterns and consider whether emotional priorities have unwittingly shaped the current estrangement.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• [03:36] Dr. Laura:
  “Why does your daughter not want to talk to you now?”
• [07:36] Dr. Laura:
  “Well, you can understand that. You’re sort of in the middle.”
• [10:22] Dr. Laura:
  “I don’t tolerate ‘I don’t knows’ because that means I’m the only one working on the problem.”
• [10:47] Dr. Laura:
  “It sounds to me like there’s a clear dynamic that your daughter has escalated to try to pull you away... it really requires you to think about the quality of relationship with your sisters with respect to the attention that goes to your daughter and perhaps the son, too.”
• [07:40] Caller
  “Yes, I love my sisters. We’re all getting older. I’m not going to cut them out of my life.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:56 | Caller introduces family history and problem | | 02:08 | Details of daughter’s accusation revealed | | 03:36 | Dr. Laura probes for daughter’s reason for estrangement | | 07:21 | Caller explains loyalty to sisters over daughter | | 09:07 | Dr. Laura parses the accusation and family responses | | 10:22 | Dr. Laura challenges “I don’t know” answers | | 11:00 | Dr. Laura’ final analysis and advice |

Episode Tone and Style

• Dr. Laura: Characteristically direct, probing, and empathetic—but also brisk in challenging the caller’s hesitance and pushing for honest introspection.
• Caller: Emotional, conflicted, seeking validation, but hesitant to fully examine her own role or emotions in the family dynamic.

Summary

This episode offers an unflinching look at the ripple effects of family secrets, accusations, and fractured loyalties. Dr. Laura, with her signature tough-love approach, urges both accountability and careful self-examination, driving home the message that healing fractured relationships often requires deep personal honesty and a willingness to face uncomfortable truths. The advice is candid, practical, and leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: emotional clarity and ownership are vital when navigating long-standing family estrangements.