Relationships

Secrets in families are rarely a good idea, says Annalisa BarbieriI have a son, aged 22: J. He was born with physical disabilities and special educational needs. He’s a happy, well-adjusted young man: he’ll never be able to live independently, but he is fairly self-sufficient. His mother and I are divorced, and he lives with me. He has older and younger...
Emily, 26, charity worker, and Barry, 24, maths teacherBarry on EmilyWhat were you hoping for?A laugh, good conversation and nice food.First impressions?She needs to work on her French – she picked the wrong dessert.What did you talk about?London geography, travel, dog borrowing apps and swimming.Any awkward moments?None.Good table manners?Excellent.Best thing about Emily?How down-to-earth and easy-going she is.Would you...
Consciously uncoupling is possible: choose your battles, build a support network and learn to play the long gameIt’s not always infidelity that leads a couple to split – sometimes a marriage simply runs out of steam and both sides are better off apart. But when that happens, is it really possible to part amicably?It’s been five years since...
Before I became a mother, I thought my feminism was a battle fought and won. But having three sons has challenged everythingIt’s always the things you think will be a doddle that end up causing most heartache. When I was asked to write about being a feminist and a mother to three boys, I imagined dashing off something...
I know our friendship is too one-sided, but I cannot bear the thought of being without her. How do I maintain a healthier relationship?I met my best friend a year and a half ago. She’s fantastic and caring, but I feel I have become too reliant on her for advice and reassurance. I am obsessed about messaging her...
The first of a new series. Charlie Clark was mourning his father’s death when a friend took him to a gig. ‘I wasn’t in the mood for chatting up girls,’ he saysCharlie Clark, 36, and Kerrie Clark, 34, are both graphic designers in Bristol. They met eight years ago at a gig and got married six months later.Charlie...
She is everything to me and I was going to propose – but now he has told me to end it with herFive years ago, I went through a bi phase and used to sleep around with pretty much everyone that came along, including other men. This changed when I fell in love with my new partner, who...
A third of people in relationships are being ignored because their partners are staring at smartphones. Are you a snubber or a snubbee?A YouGov poll has revealed that a third of people in a relationship have fallen victim to “screen snubbing” – when their partners are too distracted by their phones to properly engage with them.Screen snubbing is...
Did Niamh, 23, a teacher, and Kabillan, 28, a business development manager, hit it off?What were you hoping for?A good story.First impressions?Good-looking and friendly.What did you talk about?He was really easy to talk to – anything from Pixar, travelling, society, weird dating shows. A good flow between funny and serious topics.Any awkward moments?No, and anything that had the...
Rosslea Hall hotel’s ‘groom academy’ won’t solve the cause of most arguments among cohabiting couples: poor communicationWhen I heard that a hotel was offering “groom courses” for fiances – with classes on making breakfast in bed and doing the laundry – I immediately assumed it was in Japan, where themed accommodation is commonplace. But the training is actually being offered...

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