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New readers, welcome to Dear Wendy, a relationship advice blog. Read some of the most popular Dear Wendy posts here. If you don’t find the info you need in this column, please visit the Dear Wendy archives or the forums (you can even start your own thread), do a search in the search bar, or submit a question for advice at wendy(AT)dearwendy.com. I am a 23-year-old female sharing an apartment with a good female friend, “Laura,” who is a few years older than I am. The situation has been going very well, with none of the usual roommate drama. She is also a great friend in most areas of life — encouraging…

I used to be friends with a girl who was also my housemate, but I decided to just shut her out of my life without even telling her. The reason: I thought she was a bad influence on me. Before I started seriously dating my current boyfriend, I met a guy and ended up sleeping with him. I told my boyfriend what happened, it was really difficult for us to get over it, and we are still working on it although we get better every day. But returning to this girl: I think she played an important role in my past decisions; she would offend my boyfriend, saying he was probably getting…

I have an amazing 10-year-old son, “John.” He’s smart, creative and a really empathetic child. My ex-husband Mike and I have been divorced for three years. Although we share custody, my ex has not been very present in my son’s life. However, since he has moved in with his girlfriend “Sam,” he seems to be showing more interest in our son. I work seven days a week to keep us afloat, so John now spends most weekends with John and Sam. I’m happy that John finally has a healthy relationship with his father, and it’s good to see them spending quality time together. However, I’m beginning to grow concerned about Sam’s influence…

I’m 32, a single mother (shared custody), and finishing my last semester of grad school. Two months ago I started talking to a man on the other side of the country who has ties to my current hometown. He visits here, and I recently visited him where he lives. Our perspectives on both trivial and major issues are so similar that he often verbalizes my exact thoughts. It’s uncanny. I have been reading your LDR posts, and they inspired me to think deeply not only about this relationship but also about being in ANY relationship right now. I have started the job search and I have to complete a major project before…

After three months of dating this guy, I was at the point where I needed something to be at least defined as exclusive, but he wasn’t and so the relationship ended. That was two months ago. I’d never had such easy, natural chemistry with someone. We really seemed like a match–interests-, personality-, and values-wise. He gave me indications from the start that he was fearful of commitment (and has a very indecisive nature), but his actions seemed to indicate that he was serious about dating and not just something casual – he kept in constant communication, primarily texting, made a lot of effort in taking me out on dates, and sometimes talked…

I have been married twelve years and my husband is the stepfather of my now adult children. I adore my kids. But my husband wants to move up north to a warmer all-year-round climate. He is much older than I am and I am a young person by nature and I love young people. We are opposites in this way. The issue is I don’t want to move to the other end of the state, but he is adamant to sell the house and move up north, agreeing to visit the kids in the caravan occasionally. I am worried I will resent this move and him. I am hot and cold ….

I live in Florida and I have a boyfriend who lives in Texas. We have been together for almost a year now. In the very beginning things were wonderful and blissful. We would text every day and/or talk on the phone, and then we started video chatting almost every day. He has all the attributes I have been looking for. I will admit we have never seen each other face to face, but he has made promises to me that you could only imagine. He even has told me his love for me is unconditional. For my birthday last year he even gave me a promise ring, and on video chatting he…

I am a 49-year-old woman who is, and has been for the past twenty-one years, a full-time caregiver for my now 95-year-old mother and 53-year-old brother with Down’s syndrome. I have seven brothers and sisters who don’t give me any help or support. Seven months ago I met a lovely woman on a gay online dating site. She has been over to visit me on several occasions, but my mother has behaved dreadfully towards her since, without realizing that my mother had no idea I was gay, my girlfriend told her that we were in a relationship. I think this shocked my mother, but, as time went on, I think she forgot…