1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: All right, guys, time now for today's Strawberry Letter. And 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: if you need advice on relationships, dating, work, sex, parenting, 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 1: and more, please submit your Strawberry Letter to Steve Harvey 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: FM and click submit Strawberry Letter. We could be reading 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: your letter live on the air, just like we're gonna 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: read this one right here, right now. Let's go bug 7 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: a lot, Hold on tight, we got it for you. Here. 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: It is to Strawberry Letter. Thank you nephew. Subject she 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: needs to get her kids. Dear Stephen Shirley. I'm a 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: fifty year old with three children and I've been married 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: for fourteen years. All of the children are grown and 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: are on their own, so my husband and I have 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: the house to ourselves. I love my alone time with 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: my husband, but his sister is causing some big problems 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: in our marriage. His sister gets on my last nerve. 16 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: She is an unstable mother and she drops her kids 17 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: off at my house with no warning. I am tired 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: of dealing with her kids. One day recently, I was 19 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: walking into my living room and I saw her letting 20 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: her kids out of a car and she drove off. 21 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: My husband was at work, so I ended up keeping 22 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: the kids, which meant feeding them. I called my mother 23 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: in law and told her to come get the kids. 24 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: My mother in law is sick of the kids too. 25 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: There have been many times when she has asked me 26 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: to keep the kids for a few hours, then will 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: return at three am to pick them up. She just 28 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: sits in the driveway and blows her horn or shines 29 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: her light on bright through my front windows. She also 30 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: has my husband doing crazy stuff like changing her locks 31 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: at night because she broke up with a boyfriend and 32 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,839 Speaker 1: didn't want him to be able to get into her house. 33 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: Stephen Shirley. She is thirty eight years old and the 34 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: family keeps enabling her. I am not going to keep 35 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: this up, and I told my husband that enough is enough. 36 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: I am at war with my husband over her because 37 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: it's his only sister. I hope and pray I'm not 38 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: being unreasonable by telling him to choose between me and 39 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: his sister. I got so angry over his sister and 40 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: her kids, and I told my husband to go move 41 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: in with her. I am not a daycare and I 42 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: want to set boundaries with this woman. How should I 43 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: handle this this? Well, You're you're up to a good 44 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: start with setting boundaries with her, with letting her know 45 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: that you're not a daycare, with getting angry with your husband. 46 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: You're you're right about the family enabling her. She's been 47 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: allowed to do this for so long she thinks that 48 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: it's okay to do this, And you're so right. I mean, 49 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: everything you're saying your sister in law is dead wrong 50 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: and because of it, her children, herselves, they're suffering because 51 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: of this, going from house to house, your house to 52 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: the grandmother's house, and no telling who else. You know 53 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: that she does this too, just dropping them off at 54 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: random houses with random people. This is ridiculous. I mean, 55 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: she's rude, she's entitled, she needs to be checked. So 56 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: you're definitely on the right path. You need to learn 57 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: to say no. That's what happens when you set boundaries. 58 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: You got to tell her no, all right, even if 59 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: she does drop the kids off, get right back in 60 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: your car and you know, follow her or drop them 61 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: off at her house. Whatever. But you don't want this responsibility, 62 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: and it's not the kid's fault. I'm sure you know. 63 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: I feel so sorry for these children and badly for 64 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,839 Speaker 1: the kids because if she is unstable like you say 65 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: she is, and she sounds like it that they have to, 66 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: you know, have a mother like this. This is terrible, 67 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: but again you're gonna have to to learn how to 68 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: say no and mean it. And one of the thing 69 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: your husband is going to have to get on board 70 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: and support you, not her, You or his wife. She's 71 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,839 Speaker 1: not his wife. Those are not his kids, they're your relatives. 72 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: But she needs to deal with her own responsibilities. Steve, 73 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: you know, I was trying to find the humor in 74 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: this letter, but I couldn't. Yeah, because I know trifling 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: ass people, and it's you've been married to man fourteen years. 76 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: Y'all got three children, and all the children are grown, 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: so they out on their own. Y'all got the house 78 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: to yourself. So you thought you love your lone time 79 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: with your husband, but you ain't got it no more. 80 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: But his damned sister, thirty eight years old, unstable mother. 81 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: She dropping. Now, you didn't say how many kids? Did 82 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: she say how many kids? She just says kids. But 83 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: the woman writing the letter has three children of her own, 84 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: so we know at least two of these kids is 85 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: getting dropped off. She drops her kids off at my 86 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: house with no warning. No, I'm tired of dealing with 87 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: her kids. Well, you're really tired of dealing with the 88 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: kids like this way. You know one day recently you 89 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: walked into your living room and you saw her letting 90 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: her kids out the car and she drove off your 91 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 1: husband at work. Hitty day kids. Cause now I feel 92 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: sorry for the kids, like surely say, because they got 93 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: to walk up on the horse on the porch and 94 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: they know this health a post at least knock on 95 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: the door, tell them we're coming. But the kids got 96 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: to go in the house. They don't know what else 97 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: to do. I don't know what to tell you, man, 98 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: There is no humor in this letter, So let me 99 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: just quit trying to look forward this thing that got 100 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: on your last nerve. And I ain't mad at you. 101 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 1: So your husband's at work, she drops them off. You 102 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: ended up keeping the kids. Now you got to feed 103 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: them because you're decent person. Then you call your mother 104 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: in law and you told her to come get the kids. 105 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: The mother laws sick of the kids too. Damn. Now 106 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: I feel really bad for these kids because they get 107 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: shoveled off from house to house and they knowing everybody 108 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: mad when they see them. But the kids ain't doing nothing. 109 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: They just to result and having a trifling mama, and 110 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: I feel bad for these kids. Man, listen, Dad, what dad? 111 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: She never mentioned that now she she got a boyfriend 112 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: that you know, the husband had to change the locks 113 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: at her house, Yill, because her boyfriend in the hood 114 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: was breaking up. You gotta change locks because he coming in. 115 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: There's been many times when she asked, she has asked 116 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: me to keep the kids for a few hours and 117 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 1: then we'll return at three am to pick them up. 118 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: Who wakes the babies up in the middle of the 119 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: damn night? Right? She trifling on a whole lot of levels. 120 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: I think I got something that for you. I got 121 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: all right, Well, hold on, hold on for part two, 122 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: Steve Um. We'll have part two of your response coming 123 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: up at twenty three after the hour. Today's subject she 124 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: needs to get her kids. We'll be back right after this. 125 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: You're listening, all right, Steve. Let's go. Let's recap today's 126 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: Strawberry Letters subject she needs to get her kids. Lady 127 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 1: fifty years old, got three kids, they grown, they moved 128 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: out the house. Her and her husband got the house 129 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: all Today's self. She loves her lone time with her man. 130 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: She only got one problem. Her man's system. Unstable mother 131 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: drops the kids off without any warning, just drops them off. 132 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: She tired of this. One day she was walking in 133 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: the living room and saw her pull up and just 134 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: let the kids out and then drove off. I'll be there. Now. 135 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: You gotta be kind to the kids, because it ain't 136 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: the kids fault. But now you gotta take cam. You 137 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: gotta feed them. You just gonna sit down and just 138 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: watch the TV with your feet off. Now you're feeding kids. 139 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: Then you can't count the time she come by and 140 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: tell you watching kids for a few hours and then 141 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: return at three am in the morning and pick them up. 142 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: Now hit a trifling part. This is how trifling this 143 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: health is. She comes and just sits in the driveway 144 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: and blows her horn or shines her lights on bright 145 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: through my front windows. Boy boy, if that ain't ignorant, 146 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: you tell me. But if you want to really keep 147 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: your funking, here we go. I got something for you 148 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: at the end. Though, she also has my husband doing 149 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: crazy stuff like changing her locks at night because she 150 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: broke up with a boyfriend didn't want him be able 151 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: to get into her house. Stephen Sherley, she's thirty eight 152 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: years old. The family keeps enabling her. I ain't gonna 153 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: keep up with this. I told my husband that enough 154 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: is enough. I'm at war with my husband over her 155 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: because it's his only sister. I understand that. I hope 156 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: and pray I'm not being unreasonable. You're not by telling 157 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: them to choose between me and his sister. Okay, that NA, 158 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: that that went a little far, But I understand because 159 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: you're mad. I got so angry over his sister and 160 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: her kids that I told my husband to go move 161 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: in with them. Well, since he liked taking care of 162 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: the kids so much, you know, I think it's a 163 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: good idea. Since he likes taking care of kids that much, 164 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: then it's a good idea that he just moves on 165 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: end with him. That's what I think. But I told 166 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: my husband, and I'm not at daycare and I want 167 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: to set boundaries for this woman. How sit out handle this? Well, 168 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: I didn't read this latter and business nice. Here's the 169 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: only solution I got. Every you tell her this one 170 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: has to happen every time she dropped them kids off 171 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: on your ass. You are to go by her house 172 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: and get on her ass. What does that mean, Steve? 173 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: Break it down. If she dropped the kids off on 174 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: your ass, you ought to go over there and be 175 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: on her. What you got whoop o ass one time? Yeah? 176 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: I think she really just got to whoop our ass 177 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: one time. I think we're down to that. She trifling. 178 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: Some people need a good slapping and sit her down 179 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: and tell her, you know what, you are really abusive 180 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: to your children and you ought to be ashamed of 181 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: yourself and you really these kids deserve better. You put 182 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: them in uncompromising positions, passing them off like they potato chips. 183 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: These kids know that they're being drug around and passed off. 184 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: They know their mama unstable and ain't nobody told you? 185 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: But you are trifling ass, mama, and you need to 186 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: get your sugar hunted iced tea together for I slapped 187 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: the sugar hunted iced tea. Paul pause. I think that's 188 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: what has to happen because if the families in there, 189 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: he's enable because it's his only system, so he trying 190 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: to help out. It's his baby system. I know that 191 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: parameters to be pulling on it. Yeah, the mother is 192 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: already sick, IM so y'all got to do something, man, 193 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: y'all cass can't keep doing it like this, right, she 194 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: needs to be shopping her hands and all. I see, 195 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: that's all. That's all I mean. Really, I just don't man, 196 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: this ain't about no therapy or nothing. She needs somebody 197 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 1: to get her undivided damn attention. Yeah, and nothing gets 198 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: your attention like a hand for immediately everyone I have 199 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: got from my mama from some dudes, every last one 200 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: of them. Yes, that's what I think you should do. 201 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: And just remind her every time you dropped them off 202 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: on my ass, I'm gonna be back over here on 203 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: your ass. Yeah, so what were you doing around? Hand? 204 00:11:52,000 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 1: Were exchanging asses? But what about the changing ass? But 205 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: hold up though, she brings the kids unannounced, so the 206 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: husband he like, wow, he called off? God too late too, 207 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: And you got the call before you bring these kids 208 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: over and ask make sure we ain't got nothing to do. 209 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I just be thinking. And then she do 210 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: it again. She did. You had already said, she just 211 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: pull up and let them out and drive off. This 212 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: chick knows she trifling and she doing it on purpose. 213 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: It's I don't know, it's a lot to do because dude, 214 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 1: she dropped them off while he was at work, yeah, 215 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: oh you you shouldn't have been in the window. She 216 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: saw you shut your doors, pull your blights down, act 217 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: like you all right, well listen, post your comments FM 218 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: on Instagram and she copy. And don't forget to check 219 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: out the Subbury Letter podcast on demand now coming up 220 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 1: a forty six after the hour you're listening to this 221 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: Dave Harvey Morning Show