My new boyfriend scuba dives. I do not. He asked me to go on the boat with his family, but I have motion sickness.

He insisted that we could stay with his cousins who were moving and had everything packed in boxes.

I’d never met them and didn’t want to intrude during a stressful moving time.

I said I’d be more comfortable in a hotel on the beach while they dive.

He refuses to spend money on a hotel when he has a free place to stay. I offered to stay home but he wouldn't go without me.

We ended up not going at all.

I want space, privacy, and a view. I even offered to pay all or half. He refused that too.

He said I’m selfish to expect him to get a hotel when he wants to spend time with family.

I said, spend the day scuba diving with them, and then we’ll meet for dinner and hang out. But he refused. What's your opinion? I know mine.

Scuba Divide

You’re so far apart in tastes, habit, spending comfort, and ability to compromise, that you’ll likely have many more head-butting discussions like the failed scuba debate.

What matters now is why you’re together. If it’s a hot romance with no other meeting ground, it’ll fizzle every time you disagree, which I’m betting will be often.

And you’re both stubborn - he was uninterested in your discomfort about staying with his cousins and wouldn’t accept your paying for a hotel.

And you weren’t willing to give up any comforts on behalf of his scuba diving. If it’s his main lifestyle “passion” you’ll be dealing with this repeatedly.

You’d both need to be able to come up with reasonable solutions – e.g. he scubas without you, but goes to the beach with you when he’s done.

However, unless you have many other reasons why it’s worth trying to meet this guy at least halfway, this new relationship won’t grow.

My partner of 11 years and I moved into his condo ten months ago. Together, we’ve spent $30,000 renovating/ updating it and making it “ours.”

One couple, his friends of 25-plus years, have always visited him ten or more times a year for two days at a time.

They’re heavy drinkers. I don't drink or have anything in common with them.

They weren’t congratulatory when we announced we were moving in together. Now they’re pushing to visit us monthly.

They ask my partner, he finds it hard to say no. I've asked him to get them to back off and stop treating our home as their cottage (it’s a four season, retirement spot and they’ve become friendly with our friendship circle).

We've had several tense talks as I find being around them too much in a 1000-square-foot condo very stressful.

He’s suggested I go to friends or family while they’re here. I'm very insulted and hurt.

Stressed

It’s not just “his” condo, once you co-habit and both spent money renovating it. His friends are taking advantage of you both, and he’s letting them.

Do not leave to accommodate them, you’ll resent him for it.

He needs to say, naturally, that it’s no longer his man-cave for entertaining. It’s your home together, not always open for live-in company.

He could suggest that they ask to visit their new friends in the area, or stay in a nearby rental.

If he senses that’ll affect the friendship, he’s privately aware that they’re using him and disrespecting you.

My elderly dad is mentally deteriorating, My elderly mom is physically deteriorating.

My siblings and I have moved them closer to us (all in the same city).

We try hard to divide responsibilities - endless doctors’ appointments, errands, groceries, etc.

But I feel the most put-upon. We all have children, partners, careers.

We adore our parents and want to help them, but they’re starting to feel like a burden, and none of us want that to happen.

Generation Stress

You need help, and it’s available in most urban communities.

Community service agencies for the elderly can provide visiting homemakers and other elder care personnel. Some charge fees on a sliding scale of affordability.

Also, a trained personal support worker can be hired for several hours, several days weekly, responsible for picking up groceries, helping with food preparation, taking your parents for walks, etc.

Do the research online, visit the agencies, discuss sharing costs among your siblings.