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My long-term partner announced she is pregnant a day before I planned to end the relationship. We’ve been in a really bad place for a couple of years and everything we agreed to work on simply hasn’t happened. A lot was to do with motivation and fitness after failed pregnancies over the years. We hadn’t been intimate for a year except for a couple weeks ago. I wanted to be sure there was no connection and there wasn’t. I had planned to break up in a couple days, but this morning she took a pregnancy test and there was a very faint line! Of course, I’ll be there if we/she decides to…

I head a department in an organisation (not sure if that matters) and I am separated from my wife but we are trying to work things out. My boss whom I directly report to is extremely beautiful lady and we have always had this harmless flirtatious relationship; I know she is seeing someone but I thought that nothing could come out of our flirts; however, about six weeks ago we were both delivering a lecture in another country and we travelled together and on the third day somehow the flirt led to us sleeping together. It was a good moment that I wasn’t expecting nor planned for and since I am separated,…

A few weeks ago you gave me advice (LW 2) when I was excluded from my fiancé’s niece’s graduation ceremony and now I have another question. Yesterday my fiancé’s son’s mother passed away unexpectedly. This has completely left my stepson heartbroken. My best interest is for the child so please don’t mistakenly think I’m making this about me — I just need some outside advice because I’ve never been in a situation like this. My fiancé, of course, is heartbroken as she was the mother of his child, but I don’t know how to react to his constant posting to social media reminding the world how he loved her so much. My…

My ex-boyfriend and I split three years ago after about 12 years together. We share a nine-year-old daughter and have remained very amicable after splitting, with him still spending the holidays with us and both of us truly putting our daughter first. I’ve been dating a guy, “Ian,” for six months now. He knows my daughter through her school aftercare program and they have a really great relationship through there. We’ve recently introduced him as Mommy’s boyfriend and she is easing into understanding what this means. The problem is that Ian cannot comprehend how or why my ex and I are so amicable. He says it’s not normal and he’s never seen…

My fiancé, “Derek,” got a dog against my wishes and refuses to give it away. That dog has made it his job to destroy the house and furniture; Derek hasn’t had him trained and the new carpet is ruined. Derek is mad because he takes the dog to daycare three times a week and the extra expense bothers him. On the other two days when he’s at work, he assumes my daughter will take care of the dog because she sorta likes the dog. I’ve made it perfectly clear I don’t want the dog — or any other pets for that matter — and I won’t be responsible for the dog or…

I’ve been dating my boyfriend, “Roger,” for about a year and a half. I am Chinese and he is white. He is my first serious boyfriend and the first man I’ve brought home to my family. He is beyond “accepting” of my culture, which has always been important to me. Recently, though, I came across a situation and I hope I can get your advice. My whole family speaks English fluently. I usually speak in a mix of Chinese and English with my parents and just English with a bit of Chinese vocabulary with my siblings and brother-in-law. My boyfriend met my family after about eight months, partly because we are a…

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. This is going to sound nuts but here goes: My son has been married for over ten years to my daughter-in-law, “Darlene.” Darlene is nice but a bit crazy — especially during social cocktail time — and our entire family knows it. She has had one “known” affair during their…

It’s time again for “Dear Wendy Updates,” a feature where people I’ve given advice to in the past let us know whether they followed the advice and how they’re doing now. Today we hear from Second Chance? who wondered whether she should reunite with a boyfriend who had a hard time closing the door on prior relationships, including with an ex-wife and another ex-girlfriend. Her update is below.

Two months ago I sent inappropriate pictures to one of my boyfriend’s friends while on vacation. Since then, I realized it was a huge mistake. I have grown as a person and will never do something like that again. My boyfriend has said to me in the past that he will end things with me if he finds I have cheated. I do not want to tell him, but some part of me feels the need to. I need help. — Inappropriate