Vault: When Kids Don't Like Their Parent's Partner

Summary

The Bert Show — Vault: When Kids Don't Like Their Parent's Partner

Episode Date: July 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show dives into a lively and eye-opening discussion about kids’ instincts when it comes to their parents’ romantic partners. The team shares listener stories, both funny and unsettling, about times when children picked up on warning signs before adults did. The resounding theme: children’s intuition about people — especially those close to the family — often shouldn't be ignored.

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Key Discussion Points & Listener Stories

1. Introduction to Topic – [01:37]

• The hosts recount a recent listener's dilemma about a young child (seven years old) expressing dislike for her aunt's boyfriend, prompting a deeper dive into times children have tried to warn grownups about partner choices.

2. Instincts Versus Rational Thinking – [02:17]

• The show asks: Are kids just more instinctual when it comes to red flags? Listeners call in, sharing firsthand stories of childhood warnings — and whether adults took them seriously.

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Standout Listener Calls & Insights

Victoria’s Story – The Early Red Flag – [02:17]

• Victoria (Caller): When she was seven, Victoria's mother started dating a man who was kind to her but ignored Victoria and her siblings. She remembers, “I would say things like, no, I don't like him. Or when he'd come over, I'd leave, like, go somewhere else.” (Victoria, 02:22)
• She maintained her dislike for him, but her mother brushed it off. Five years into the marriage, the stepfather became abusive and an alcoholic. The mother eventually left him, affirming Victoria's instincts.

“She figured I was just, you know, being a kid… Sure enough, about five years into their marriage, he became more and more aggressive, ended up hitting her and becoming an alcoholic.”
— Victoria [02:22–03:10]

Ryan’s Story – The Kid Who Spilled the Beans – [03:30]

• Ryan (Caller): At age eight or nine, Ryan noticed his adult neighbor was seeing two men. He ended up informing both of them about each other, leading the woman to be dumped by both.
  • “I stood up for myself, and I was like, well, she shouldn't have been seeing two different guys. That's not right.” — Ryan [04:02]
  • Describes how, even as a child, he understood the implications of his actions.

Nephew’s Intuition – Wiffle Ball Bat Warnings – [05:31]

• Kerry (Caller): Kerry recalls dating a guy in high school that her five-year-old nephew vehemently disliked, even going so far as to hit the boyfriend with a wiffle ball bat and let the dog bite him.
  • Host jokes about the boyfriend's persistence despite these obvious signs.
  • Turns out, the boyfriend cheated with her best friend, confirming the kids and the dog had better judgment.

    “Both of mine hated this guy and he ended up sleeping with my best friend.” — Kerry [05:37–05:58]

Standing Her Ground – Choosing Grandma – [06:13]

• Tori (Caller): At age seven, Tori warned her mother about a new boyfriend and refused to move in with them, choosing to live with her grandmother instead. Years later, after her mom and the boyfriend split, it turned out he had been cheating on her mom almost the entire time.
  • “I was like, I'm not going. I'm staying with my grandmother. So I've lived with my grandmother ever since.” — Tori [06:19]
  • When asked if her mother acknowledged she was right: “Yes.” — Tori [06:53]

Cousins Sensed Danger – A Warning Ignored – [07:02]

• Iris (Caller): As a child, Iris and her cousins were "creeped out" by their aunt's new partner. They refused sleepovers, sensing something sinister. Years later, it was revealed that the man had been molesting his daughters.
  • “He'd always want the cousins to come and sit on his lap and he'd always hug us or just too attentive.” — Iris [07:45–07:55]
  • The hosts react with shock and horror, reinforcing the importance of listening to children.

Even Toddlers Know – [09:02]

• A.J. (Caller): His outgoing two-year-old daughter instantly disliked a business associate, becoming withdrawn around him. The associate later tried to defraud him out of $100,000.
  • “She would play with anybody, hug on anybody...But the second he walked in the door, she instantly, her mood changed, became a completely different person…” — A.J. [09:02–09:29]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kid’s Unfiltered Honesty:
  “Well, the thing about kids is there's zero filter. There's no... They’ve got nothing.”
  — Bert [05:05]

• On Choosing Who to Trust:
  “I think, yeah, I would believe a kid, you know, because what, what are they, you know, why are they trying to manipulate me?”
  — Kristin [04:54]

• On Tuning In to Children’s Reactions:
  “Listen to the children. Yeah, that’s the lesson learned. Listen to the kids.”
  — Cassie [08:38]

• Host’s Takeaway:
  “It’s the energy that the people give off... Kids see it unfiltered...”
  — Bert [08:48]

• Joke About Trustworthiness:
  “I'm gonna have to get a kid just to have around and evaluate people that are near me.”
  — Bert [09:30]

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Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts

• Repeated Pattern: Nearly every caller's story began with a child’s instinctive dislike toward an adult—one eventually justified by later events.
• Trust Kids’ Instincts: The overwhelming lesson was to take children's reactions seriously, as they frequently perceive unspoken cues adults can miss or rationalize away.
• Humor and Heart: The episode balances sobering stories with the Bert Show’s characteristic humor and warmth, keeping the tone real and authentic.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:37] – Episode topic introduced and context provided
• [02:17] – Victoria’s call: child’s instinct about mother’s boyfriend
• [03:30] – Ryan’s call: outing neighbor’s double-dating as a child
• [05:31] – Kerry’s call: child (and the dog!) warns about bad boyfriend
• [06:13] – Tori’s call: refusing to live with mother’s partner
• [07:02] – Iris’s call: childhood creeps turn out to be real danger
• [09:02] – A.J.’s call: toddler spots a grown-up conman

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Overall, this episode is an engaging reminder that sometimes the smallest voices have the most crucial messages. The Bert Show manages to blend important life lessons with their trademark wit, making this episode both touching and entertaining.

Transcript

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[C]

Yeah, because we just talked to a listener who, you know, was a little confused because she was wondering why some 7 year old niece 7 year old niece had mentioned something bad about the guy that she was seeing. And so we wanted to hear from more listeners who, whether it is a family member of yours or maybe it's the person you're dating and it's their children who could pull you aside and say don't date my daddy or mommy. And we said that we wanted to hear from people who a kid less than 10 years old is the one that is informing you that you need to get out.

[B]

We're getting some cool calls from people who are actually the ones who told on, huh? Yep. Like Victoria. Hey, Victoria. Welcome to the show.

[D]

Hi.

[B]

How are you?

[D]

I'm good. Just driving to work.

[B]

What's going on?

[D]

Well, that was funny that y' all brought this up this morning, because I had that experience when I was 7. My mom started dating a guy that she'd met, and he was really sweet to her, did all the little, you know, sweet gestures for her, but he really didn't pay a lot of attention to me and my two brothers. And, I mean, I remember it, but she would even tell me now that I would say things like, no, I don't like him. Or when he'd come over, I'd leave, like, go somewhere else. And normally, as a child, I was real outgoing and talk to everybody, and so she thought I was odd, but she just figured I was just, you know, being a kid. And they ended up getting married, and I continued to express my dislike. And sure enough, about five years into their marriage, he became more and more aggressive, ended up hitting her and becoming an alcoholic, and she finally left him.

[C]

Wow. So you had instincts. Well, we were. We were teasing earlier about, you know, little kids with more, you know, of an instinctual reaction to things rather than, you know, really thinking about it. So you were right.

[B]

All the. Most of the calls that we're getting, like four out of five of the ones on hold right now were all the kids who told.

[D]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Hey, Ryan. Welcome to the show.

[E]

Hey, how are you?

[B]

What's going on?

[E]

All right. So I was, like 8 or 9 years old, and my neighbor, she had a boyfriend, but I noticed this other guy would come around when her boyfriend went around. And it went on for a while. She was seeing both guys. So first I told the guy she'd been with longer, and then he told her, you know, that I told him, and he broke up with her. And then I told the other guy, too. So she ended up with nobody.

[D]

Oh, that's hilarious.

[B]

When you're eight or nine years old, do you know what you're doing? Like, do you. Are you aware that it's wrong, or is it just that?

[E]

No, I knew because then she got in a fight with my mom about it because they said I shouldn't have said anything. And I stood up for myself, and I was like, well, she shouldn't have been seeing two different guys. That's not right.

[B]

Do you remember how you told her or how you told the guy?

[E]

I told the guy, yeah.

[B]

Do you remember how you told the guy.

[E]

I told him that there was another car. I described the car for him and I told him the other guy's name because I'd met him too.

[B]

Wow, that's awesome.

[D]

That's hysterical. How much older was she than you?

[E]

Oh, she was an adult. She was probably in her 30s.

[B]

That's great.

[D]

She's never gonna speak to you again.

[B]

Can you imagine?

[E]

It was a long time war between us after that.

[B]

I'll bet. And can you imagine being the, you know, the guy, the recipient of that news from an eight year old. Excuse me, mister.

[E]

Mr. Yeah, I walked right over into the driveway when he pulled up one day. I remember it.

[C]

That's great. Wow.

[B]

Good for you.

[E]

Y' all have a good morning.

[C]

You too. And I think, yeah, I would believe a kid, you know, because what, what are they, you know, why are they trying to manipulate me? Unless they really, you know, had seen it or knew about it as opposed to an adult.

[B]

Well, the thing about kids is there's zero filter. There's no. They've got nothing. You know, if that kid's twice his age, if he's 16 or 17 years old or older, you have the realization, well, there's going to be consequences and she's going to be unhappy. And what if the guy gets really mad and breaks down her door and what? Blah, blah, blah. When you're eight years old, you've got no.

[C]

But you know what, Jeff? You know, we don't have children. So even though you have kids, you know, they lie all the time.

[B]

Hey, Kerry, welcome to the show.

[D]

Hey, guys, how are y'?

[E]

All?

[B]

How are you?

[D]

Well, when I was in high school, I was dating a guy that my nephew, who was like five at the time, hated. Every time he would come to the house, he'd get like the wiffle ball bat and just hit the guy over and over again. And he let in my dog who would bite the guy. Yeah, we're talking about the dogs. Children have an intuition. Both of mine hated this guy and he ended up sleeping with my best friend.

[C]

You kept him around even after the wiffle ball bat and the dog incident.

[D]

I was like 16. I wasn't very smart at the time.

[B]

I think the better statement is the guy stuck around after gotten beaten with a wiffle ball bat and bit by a dog when he came over to your house.

[D]

He apparently wasn't very smart at the time either.

[B]

Hey, Tori, welcome to the Bird show.

[D]

Hi. When I was 7, I told my mom she had met a new boyfriend and I was like, I don't like this dude. She ends up getting pregnant, moving out. I was like, I'm not going. I'm staying with my grandmother. So I've lived with my grandmother ever since. I am now 16 years old with an 8 year old brother. We found out about a year ago when they separated, we found out that he's been cheating on my mom for eight years, which is right after I told her that I didn't like to do.

[B]

Has your mom acknowledged that you were right back then?

[D]

Yes.

[B]

That's cool. Should have listened. I really like being right. Hey, even if it means the end of a marriage, right? Hey Iris, welcome to the bird show.

[E]

Hi.

[B]

Hey. How are you?

[D]

Good.

[B]

What's going on?

[D]

Sorry.

[B]

Wesa, what's going on?

[D]

When I was about six years old, my aunt started dating a guy. And amongst all of my female cousins, we all just got a very creepy, crawly feeling from him. And my mom used to try to get us to stay the night over at my aunt's place with him and I just absolutely refused. They ended up getting married and having kids. And about six years ago, I'm now 24. About six years ago, we found out that he actually molested both of his daughters.

[C]

Oh, wow.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And when you were six or seven years old, did you have any inkling that that was what was weird about him or did you just get a bad energy?

[D]

I just, we always felt that he too attentive to the cousins. Like, you know, he'd always want the cousins to come and sit on his lap and he'd always hug us or just too attentive. And you know, I would always tell my mom, I don't want to stay with uncle, I don't want to stay with him. And my mom eventually started getting her own weird feeling about it and tried to talk to my aunt. They eventually moved away from Florida, away from the family because so many people had negative feelings about him. And about two years after they moved away, my aunt called all of us to tell us that my then 11 and 9, I believe my cousins were 11 and 9 year old cousins had finally told her. Actually I think she read their diary when they were out of school one day. Eventually she eventually found out that he had been molesting both of them. Oldest one had an engagement ring from him. It was, it was weird.

[C]

Oh my God. Oh my God. That's just creepy. Well, yeah, Listen to the children. Yeah, that's the lesson learned. Listen to the kids. Thanks for the call.

[D]

No problem.

[C]

I think.

[B]

Well, you know what it is what it is. It's the energy that the people give off for whatever reason. Kids see it on filter or whatever.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Hey, our last call will be A.J. what's going on?

[E]

Hey, I had a story about my two year old daughter. Was really leery about a business associate of mine, right. Came over to my house, brought gifts and everything and she's really outgoing. She would, I mean she would play with anybody, hug on anybody. But the second he walked in the door, she instantly, her mood changed, became a completely different person and he ended up trying to screw me out of like $100,000. Wow.

[C]

Same. Knew it.

[B]

I'm gonna, you know what? I'm gonna have to get a kid just to have around and evaluate people that are near me.

[C]

Wouldn't it be funny if there was like CEOs or people hiring managers that just brought children in to sit in on an interview and then asked them, what do you think about this person?

[B]

Hey, if I'm that dude and my daughter saved me out of 100 grand, I totally would do that next time.

[D]

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