1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Time now for today's Strawberry Letter. And if you need 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: advice on relationships, dating, work, sex, parenting and more. Please 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: submit your Strawberry Letter to Steve HARVEYFM dot com and 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: click submit Strawberry Letter. We could be reading your letter 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: live on the air, just like we're going to read 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: this one right here, right now. Bug it up, Hold 7 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: on tight, We got it for you. Here. It is 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: the Strawberry Letter. Thank you. F subject he wants a baby. 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: He wants a baby, but I need so much more. 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: Dear Stephen Shirley, I'm a thirty three year old woman 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: and I'm dating a thirty five year old man. For 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 1: some background, we met about three years ago and after 13 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: dating three years, we are now going on one year 14 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: of living together. He has a great career, he has 15 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: no children and he is an only child. I have 16 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: a great career and I have two teenagers from two 17 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: previous relationships that I raised as a single mom. For 18 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: the most part, life is pretty peaceful and full of 19 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: love between my man and I. The sex is amazing, 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: and he has a great relationship with his kids. The 21 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: only problem is that now he wants a baby and 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: he brings it up often. It's no secret that he 23 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: wanted children, and I've always been open to having one 24 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: or two more with him. I love being a mom, 25 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: but my terms are as follows. I want to ring, 26 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: I want my name on his pension and life insurance policy, 27 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: at least one shared bank account, and a plan for 28 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: us to move into a bigger house. Right now, his 29 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: mother is his beneficiary and he shares a savings account 30 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: with her. I'm not asking for him to remove her 31 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: totally from everything, and I certainly don't feel like I'm 32 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: asking for too much. He knows my past and how 33 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: I trusted men and had babies with them, only to 34 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: be left alone to do the parenting. He said, my 35 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: previous experiences have nothing to do with him. Seems to 36 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: think that I'm jinxing things in some way by setting 37 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: myself up financially in case we don't work out. I 38 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: am a warrior and I need things to be in 39 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: order and organized at all times. So maybe he's right, 40 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: But I've lived that struggle life and I don't ever 41 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: want to go back to anything close to that. Am 42 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: I asking for too much? Or should I be more 43 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: willing to compromise with him? Oh? My, oh my gosh. 44 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't. I don't think you're asking for 45 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: too much, and I think you're second guessing yourself. I 46 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: really do. You have every right to want what it 47 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: is you want, and I love the fact that you're 48 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: clear about what you want. But babies are not bargaining tools. Okay, 49 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,679 Speaker 1: this is not a game. Babies are serious business, as 50 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: you well know, single mom of two, and babies are 51 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: not to be traded for ringing, a pension plan, a 52 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: bigger house. What concerns me deeply is that not once 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: did you mention marriage. I mean, why is that? I mean, 54 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: because making it legal and marrying him would get you 55 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: those things anyway. The problem is, I think the problem 56 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: is he doesn't think he has to marry you because 57 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: you're already playing wife with none of the things that 58 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: you want. You should already have a ring, a bigger house, 59 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: a joint bank account, and whatever else you might want 60 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: as his wife. Okay, that's the difference. You guys have 61 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: been together long enough for some sort of commitment here 62 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: three years, and now you've been living together with him 63 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: for a year, and now he's talking about babies. No. 64 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: I think he's skipping a few steps here, and I 65 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,119 Speaker 1: don't think you should allow that to happen when you 66 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: clearly want more. You say, his mom is his beneficiary 67 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: and she's shares a bank account. Well maybe he needs 68 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: to ask his mama for permission or something. Huh Is 69 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: he a mama's boy along with all this other stuff 70 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: you got going on, Steve? Ah? Wow, Well, lady, let 71 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: me help you out a little bit, because I think 72 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: you're going about this the complete and utter wrong way. 73 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: I mean, this is how women get jammed up in 74 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: situations that never find their way in life because they 75 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: keep going along and they keep letting me and dictate 76 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: their life. Listen to me, It's okay to compromise and 77 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: be in a relationship with people. But ladies, I'm gonna 78 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: remind you again you have every right to know where 79 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: your life is headed at all times, and you should 80 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: have a say so in every direction your life is taken. 81 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: You don't wait on something, dude, So here we go. 82 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: You've been with this dude one year, y'all living together. 83 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: He got a great career, he thirty five, great career, 84 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: no kids, only child, ain't ever been married, thirty five, 85 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: no kids, great career, ain't ever been married, only child, 86 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: nw you you had a lot of relationships, I mean 87 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: a couple of relationships before or no. By the way, 88 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: his sex is amazing and he got a great relationship 89 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: with your kids. Okay, cool, But now he wants a 90 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: baby and that seems to be a problem. But it 91 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: wasn't a secret that he wanted to cheat kids and 92 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: you kind of always wanted to have one or two 93 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: more with him. Okay, cool, y'all got that understanding, And 94 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: I love being a mom. But my terms are as follows. 95 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: Number one, I want to ring. Obviously you've never made 96 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: that a requirement before for having a baby, so congratulations 97 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: to that. I want my name on his pension, as 98 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: you should, because if you get a ring, that would 99 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: make you his wife, so you should be on the 100 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: pension and life insurance policy as you should. See. This 101 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: is stuff. This is regular stuff. This is regular stuff. 102 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: This is not exceptional stuff. This is regular stuff. At 103 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: least one shared bank account, that's regular stuff. And a 104 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: plan for us to move into a bigger house. That's 105 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: called a dream. People have them all the time, that 106 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: couples get together and make plans. That's nothing wrong with 107 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: asking for any of that stuff. You're not asking too much. 108 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: And when I come back, I'm gonna tell you how 109 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: hang on, Steve. Yeah, we'll have part two of your 110 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,119 Speaker 1: response coming up at twenty three minutes after he wants 111 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: a baby, but I need so much more as the subject. 112 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: We'll be back right after this. You're listening to show, 113 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: all right, Steve, Come on, let's recap today's Strawberry Letters. 114 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:04,119 Speaker 1: Subject he wants a baby, but I need so much more. Well, 115 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: bless her heart. This thirty three year old woman man 116 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: to this thirty five year old man, and and they 117 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: living together, and she got two kids from two previous relationships, 118 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: and he wants a baby. And it wasn't a secret. 119 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: He's always wanted the baby. That's fine, and she wants 120 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: to have one or two with him too. But here's 121 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: her terms. She number one, walts ane. That's a good term. 122 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: I'm you know, too bad, you're just not thinking it 123 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: this one, But that's a that's a good ask. I 124 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: want my name on this pincheon. If you his wife, 125 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: that should happen life ensures policy. If you his wife, 126 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: that should happen at least one shared bank account. If 127 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: you his wife, that should happen. And I'm playing for 128 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: us and moving to a bigger house. That's a dream 129 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: of the vision that should happen right now. Here will 130 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: go Now, this is what the letter really about. Right now. 131 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: His mother is his beneficial sha, and she shares a 132 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: savings account with her. What can't tell you something? I 133 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: love my mother deally. Of all the people ever been 134 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: on this planet, I never body like I loved it moment, 135 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: not my mama. She had a special kind of love. 136 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: I've been in love more than that. But I ain't 137 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: never love nobody like I love my mama. Me and 138 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: my mama didn't never share a bank account, not now time. 139 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: Oh and the reverence I had for her. We had 140 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: no bank account, I wasn't an only child. And so 141 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: a couple of things going on here, and I need 142 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: you need to pay attention to This is a thirty 143 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: five year old man, ain't never been married, ain't got 144 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: no kids, gotta shared bank account with his mama. Hey, hey, hey, 145 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: this this ain't this ain't add enough real good kind 146 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: of makes sense? Why he ain't never been married and 147 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: ain't got no kids right now and he the only child. 148 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: I'm not asking to remove her totally from everything, And 149 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: I suddenly don't feel like I'm asking too much. No, 150 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: you're not. But you got to be in her place. 151 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: You gotta have the account with your name on it. 152 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: You got to be the beneficial. He knows my past 153 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: and how you trusted men and had babies with him, 154 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: only be left alone due to parent and a lot 155 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: of women had this to it. He said, my previous 156 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: experience have nothing to do with him. Now here's where 157 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: he flipping it on you. He seems to think that 158 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: I'm jinxing things in some way by setting myself up 159 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: financially in case we don't work out. I am a 160 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: worry and I need things to be in order and 161 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: organized at all time. Well, here's a deal, sister, Like 162 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: happens with so many women. He ain't stepping up what 163 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: you're supposed to do, So you're supposed to be unprepared 164 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: in the event that he don't step up. You're doing 165 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: what you're supposed to do. You're preparing in the event 166 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: that it might not work out with this guy. But 167 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: would why you move in it ain't gonna work out. 168 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: Why y'all been together three years? You got to start 169 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: putting your foot down, lady, and start getting some things. 170 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: This man wants a baby with you. You're not having 171 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: normal kids without a ring. That's your statement. You're not 172 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 1: having normal kids without being somebody's wife. And in order 173 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: to be his wife, you want your name on the 174 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:23,079 Speaker 1: pension and a beneficiary periods. That ain't even a pre 175 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: numb This is just regular stuff. This is just regular stuff. 176 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: So stop thinking you asking too much? So maybe he's right, 177 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: but I've lived that struggle life before and I don't 178 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: never want to go back to anything closer that. Am 179 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: I asking too much? And should I be more willing 180 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: to compromise with him? Let me ask you a question. 181 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: How much more compromising do you have to do? I mean, 182 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: you live with him, y'all paying bills together. You don't 183 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: have an account with him, You ain't a beneficiary of his, 184 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: You ain't on his pension plan, your name probably ain't 185 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: on that least that you staying at And now he 186 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: wants a baby and all you asking for some regular stuff. Lady, 187 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: stop this. You're not asking for too much? And how 188 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: much more of a compromise? Let me ask you a question. 189 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 1: Here's my next question to you. When is he gonna compromise? 190 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: When does he have to compromise from you. I think 191 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 1: you need to get real assertive legend. I just had 192 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: a conversation with a lady about this recently. It is amazing, man, 193 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: how women give up their power of decision to another 194 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: person when you have the right to be involved in 195 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: all these decisions. So that's my answer to you. You know, 196 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: he ain't compromised, he ain't stepped up. You gotta put 197 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: your foot down to make some demands. He want a baby, 198 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,599 Speaker 1: I want to I want to be married. Now, I 199 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: don't want to ring. I want to ring a date 200 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: and I want to be married. And then we work 201 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: on having these kids getting married. Stop giving these being 202 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: everything they won't and then you don't get nothing you want. Right, 203 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: she has every right to want what she wants. Yeah, 204 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: she don't have to settle, yea, she has every right, Shirley. 205 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: And here's a problem, y'all keep doing all these wifey things, 206 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: y'all building a guy, getting him dressed, cooking, paying bells 207 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: with him, sharing, sleeping with him, having sex, doing everything 208 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: he like. You know, all is here, and you ain't 209 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: getting nothing you won't. You gotta put your foot down, lady, 210 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: I'm sir, you're checking. Yeah, Yeah, post your comments on 211 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: today's Strawberry Letters Steve Harvey FM because he's getting ready 212 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: to go on Instagram and Facebook and check out the 213 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: Strawberry Letter podcast done demand please coming up it will 214 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: be our girl from the Talk. You know, we got 215 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 1: to hear what Cheryl Underwood has to say. Right after this, 216 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: you're listening to the Stave Harvey Morning Show