I’m Concerned About This Living Arrangement Before My Marriage

The Dr. Laura Podcast

A caller named Patrick seeks advice regarding his upcoming marriage and the boundary issues caused by his fiancé's sister staying in their s

Key takeaways

• The fiancé's sister extended her stay in the couple's one-bedroom apartment from two weeks to three weeks.
• The living arrangement has significantly compromised the couple's privacy and physical intimacy.

Main topics

• Marriage boundaries
• Extended family interference

Notable quotes

Love is not enough.

Conclusion

The episode serves as a cautionary tale about the necessity of establi

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Thanks for listening to my call of the day brought to you by Alloy Health, a digital health platform that connects you with a menopause specialized doctor to help you feel and look your best in midlife. It's all done online from the comfort of your home. Head to myalloy.com and use the code Dr. Laura to get 20 % off Speaker 1 (0:19) your first order. Speaker 2 (0:21) Remember, you can hear my radio program daily on Sirius XM Triumph and connect with me 24-7. at drlaura.com. Patrick, welcome to the program. Speaker 3 (0:33) Hi, Dr. Laura. Thanks for taking the Speaker 2 (0:36) call. Speaker 3 (0:36) Hi, Speaker 2 (0:36) Patrick. Speaker 3 (0:37) I'm a long-time listener. I just want to say my mom passed away a few years ago, and since I was a kid, she always had your program on, so it really means a lot to have the opportunity to speak with you today. I appreciate your time. Speaker 2 (0:51) Sorry about your mom. Speaker 3 (0:53) Thank you. The reason I'm calling today, I'm getting married next month, and my fiance's younger sister needs to be back in New York City for about five weeks for work after she moved out of the city in July. But she didn't arrange a sublet or temporary housing. My fiance initially told me, not really asked me, that her sister would be staying with us for really close to two weeks. You know, that bothered me, obviously, because then we share a small one-bedroom apartment in New York, and she'd be living in her living room, which is right next to our bedroom door. And I agreed to it, you know, at first. But, you know, two weeks eventually became three weeks, and I got frustrated because I felt like I'd already compromised, and the arrangement kept changing without us making those decisions together. You know, my fiance apologized, and I thought we passed it. But last night, you know, I got home from my bachelor party, actually last night, and my fiancé was crying because her sister now has to stay with a friend for the remaining two weeks. She told me she feels terrible for her. Your Speaker 2 (2:03) fiancé cried about her sister, and you still want to go through the wedding? Speaker 3 (2:13) I do. They're