My Daughter is Putting Me in a Bad Position

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dr. Laura Call of the Day

Episode Title: My Daughter is Putting Me in a Bad Position
Release Date: July 29, 2025
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Platform: SiriusXM Triumph 111

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Introduction

In this episode of "Dr. Laura Call of the Day," Dr. Laura Schlessinger addresses a pressing family dilemma faced by a listener named Tracy. The conversation delves into managing complex family relationships to ensure a harmonious wedding celebration for Tracy's daughter.

Listener's Concern: Tracy's Struggle with Her Husband's Aunt

Caller: Tracy
Timestamp: [00:29] – [07:35]

Tracy reaches out to the podcast seeking advice about her husband's aunt, whom she believes should not be invited to her daughter's wedding. She explains that there's significant "bad blood" between them, making her uncertain about how to proceed without escalating tensions.

Notable Quote:

“My daughter is getting married and she does not want to have this aunt invited to the wedding. And I just don't know what to do. There's a lot of bad blood between.”
— Tracy ([00:29])

Dr. Laura’s Initial Guidance: Prioritizing the Daughter’s Wishes

Dr. Laura emphasizes that the wedding should focus solely on the bride's desires. She advises Tracy that the event is "only about your daughter" and not about extended family dynamics. Dr. Laura reinforces that the guest list should reflect the bride and groom's choices.

Notable Quote:

“The wedding is only about your daughter. It's not about your husband. It's not about cousins. It's about your daughter.”
— Dr. Laura ([00:47])

Handling Potential Confrontations: Preparing for the Aunt’s Reaction

Anticipating that the aunt might inquire about her invitation, Dr. Laura advises Tracy to remain firm and straightforward. She suggests that Tracy communicate the decision clearly, emphasizing the desire for a peaceful wedding without drama.

Notable Quote:

“The likelihood there'll be a problem when you haven't spoken to people in a million years and you piss them off after the mom's death.”
— Dr. Laura ([07:14])

Emphasizing Personal Responsibility and Emotional Control

Dr. Laura urges Tracy to take responsibility for the situation and not let her emotions dictate her actions. She highlights the importance of not caring about negativity from people who are not respected or valued, reinforcing that Tracy should prioritize her daughter's happiness over external opinions.

Notable Quotes:

“Who gives a shit if anybody. If the aunt is mad at you, who cares? Literally, who cares?”
— Dr. Laura ([02:16])

“You got to start using your brain and not your emotions. It's about time.”
— Dr. Laura ([08:22])

Encouraging Maturity and Upholding Boundaries

Dr. Laura stresses the need for Tracy to act as a mature adult, putting aside fears of confrontation or backlash. She advises Tracy to set clear boundaries and uphold the decision to exclude the aunt, regardless of potential backlash.

Notable Quote:

“Don't dread anything. Be as strong as your daughter.”
— Dr. Laura ([02:25])

Concluding Advice: Focusing on the Bride’s Happiness

In her final advice, Dr. Laura reiterates that the wedding is a time for joy and should remain free from familial conflicts. She encourages Tracy to support her daughter’s decisions and ensure that the wedding environment is serene and enjoyable for all attendees.

Notable Quote:

“Your daughter needs you to take care of this. Don't let her down, please.”
— Dr. Laura ([08:35])

Final Remarks

Dr. Laura concludes the episode by providing her contact information and promoting her social media platforms, inviting listeners to engage further and seek additional support if needed.

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting the key discussions and insights shared by Dr. Laura in response to Tracy's predicament. The inclusion of notable quotes with timestamps aids in understanding the flow and emphasis of the conversation, making it a comprehensive resource for those who have not listened to the episode.

Transcript

[Dr. Laura]

Hi, neighbor.

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[Dr. Laura]

Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Tracy. Welcome to the program.

[Tracy]

Hi, Dr. Laura. I have a problem with my husband's aunt. My daughter is getting married and she does not want to have this aunt invited to the wedding. And I just don't know what to do. There's a lot of bad blood between.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, Tracy, Tracy.

[Tracy]

Uh huh. Yes.

[Dr. Laura]

The wedding is only about your daughter. It's not about your husband. It's not. Well, yeah, but Tracy. Not about the aunt. It's not about cousins. It's about your daughter. And if she has. And I think the only people who should be at the wedding are the people the bride and groom desire to have there. So she's not invited, period.

[Tracy]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

But she doesn't matter who gets mad.

[Tracy]

Yeah.

[Dr. Laura]

Did you send out invitations, Tracy?

[Tracy]

Not yet. It's, it's the beginning. We have, we're just starting to. And she just.

[Dr. Laura]

Well, when she sends out the invitations, the aunt won't be on the list. That's it.

[Tracy]

Okay. And what do I do when she calls me? I know. She's going to fish for information.

[Dr. Laura]

The aunt is going to call you. And say what? Let's play the game. The aunt is calling you.

[Tracy]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

Hi, Tracy, this is Auntie. I was wondering when I was going to receive my invitation.

[Tracy]

Do I have to tell her? I don't. I don't.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, answer. Well, you know what, Tracy, Tracy, answer this to me. Does anybody really not know why your daughter doesn't want her there?

[Tracy]

I think everybody knows. But I, I, I don't know how.

[Dr. Laura]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Don't dread anything. Be as strong as your daughter.

[Tracy]

Well, she did not inherit that from me. She, she has her father's personality. So I mean. Okay, this aunt has been very good to the panel.

[Dr. Laura]

Ma', am. You're a grown woman and you have to handle a problem. And are you worried about people being mad at you? You're worrying about her yelling at you? Well, come on. This is. I need you to be a grown up now. Your daughter needs you to be a grown up now. Come on. If you were 12 years old, I'd buy the. I'm scared of people being mad at me. But who gives a shit if anybody. If the aunt is mad at you, who cares? Literally, who cares? Why do you care? She's not a nice person. Everybody knows it. So why do you care? I guess I don't stop caring. You have to stop caring. I only care about the opinions of people I trust and respect. If I trust and respect somebody and they give me an opinion, whether I'm comfortable with it or not, I think about it because I value what they have to say. I don't value somebody like your aunt and I don't care if she doesn't like me. And you have got to get to that point. You're over half a century old. So in one sentence, what is it your daughter has in her mind that makes her not want to invite the aunt? One sentence.

[Tracy]

There will be a lot of bad blood and she's afraid that the other family that she wants there will not come or will not be happy or they were just anxious.

[Dr. Laura]

That's not what I wanted to know. If the ant walks in, is the ant going to misbehave? Maybe I should have asked that in the first place.

[Tracy]

It's a good possibility.

[Dr. Laura]

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[Tracy]

I think maybe she thinks it's time to reconcile with the whole family. And I think she's going to try and do that at a big family occasion.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, so we're not inviting her because we think something. If she was a fall down drunk, then we know something.

[Tracy]

Mm.

[Dr. Laura]

She wants to reconcile with the family. That's a bad thing.

[Tracy]

Yeah, but my daughter doesn't want to have it at her wedding.

[Dr. Laura]

Why? What will reconciliation look like?

[Tracy]

Well, she hasn't spoken with her brother, and. Because seven or eight years. Because.

[Dr. Laura]

Is that her intent? Not to speak to the brother? Is that her decision?

[Tracy]

Oh, God, no. It's because what she did is when their mother was dying, she went in the house and completely got rid of everything. Didn't give the siblings a chance to grieve, and so she immediately got rid of everything so they didn't have a chance to come in and say, oh, this was mom's, and, you know, remember when.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, Tracy, that was more than a sentence. But it needed to be, so that was fine. This is what you'll say to the aunt when she calls. I'm really sorry, but your problems with the family, it's something we want to avoid at a wedding.

[Tracy]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

So my daughter has decided she just wants peace at her wedding. Oh, well, I wasn't planning to do anything. I can appreciate you saying that. The likelihood there'll be a problem when you haven't spoken to people in a million years and you piss them off after the mom's death. Yeah. We want to keep the drama out of the wedding. Sorry. The truth?

[Tracy]

Yeah. I have a feeling if she finds out about the wedding.

[Dr. Laura]

I don't care about your feeling. I don't give a damn about your feeling because that's. You got to start using your brain and not your emotions. It's about time.

[Tracy]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

Your daughter needs you to take care of this. Don't let her down, please.

[Tracy]

I won't.

[Dr. Laura]

Good. 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 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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