I met a woman, 40, who recently separated from her husband because he didn't want children. Since I also wanted children, I was open to the long-term potential.
She moved things ahead way too fast; on the third date, she initiated sex. Immediately after, she dumped me. She'd used sex to see whether we were compatible.
She then told me she was seeing a friend with benefits; also, that her therapist suggested she consider having a baby on her own, and to separately find a man for a loving long-term relationship.
That was the most hurtful experience of my life. What kind of therapist gives advice like that?

- Outraged

Don’t blame the therapist, it was the woman who dumped you. Besides, those exact words may NOT have come from the counsellor, but rather the way this woman interpreted the advice, or took what she wanted from it.
You feel steamrollered now, but you’re lucky she showed her coldly calculating personality so soon. She behaved as a hit-n-run female with a private agenda, and no concern for your feelings.
If you read the question below, you’ll see that men and women are equally capable of self-absorption that hurts even people whom they’ve brought close. You’ll also see that I have little patience with either gender that

pulls such callous tricks.

I already know you’ll be hard on me, but that’s what I need.
For two months I’ve been involved with my boss who has a partner (they’re not married) and they share a little girl. We’ve not had sex yet but have come close and then stopped.
I have strong feelings for him and wanted to take the relationship to the next level. So did he, however he just told me that his partner is pregnant. I was totally devastated. It’s changed everything for me.
I feel like we broke up and now I don’t know how to handle working with him and spending so much time together. I’m a total wreck. I don’t know how to hold in my feelings when it comes to him and I still care about him a lot.
I told him it was over, to stop flirting with me and stop calling me but part of me still wants to be with him.
How do I get over him without hating him, and still keep my job?

- Office Heartbreak

You’re doing the necessary job of closing down this messy lust-triangle. I didn’t say love-triangle because you don’t know what HE really felt, since he was still sleeping with his partner.
Turn this into a painfully-earned workplace lesson on two rules: 1) Be wary of a boss’ advances, they’re far more dangerous for you than him; 2) If said boss is in a relationship in which he isn’t “stuck,” his flirting either means he’s a player, or self-indulgent enough to not care about the consequences.
In this case, the hurtful fallout is on YOU, and I certainly don’t need to be hard on you, just straightforward and real: He was always going to stay with her, now get over him.
If it gets too tough, look for work elsewhere.

My daughter-in-law is a loving mother but often rigid and short-tempered with my granddaughter, and I find it so hard to bear. What should I do?

- Concerned

Be the kindest grandmother you can be, plus the most helpful mother-in-law possible- but without judgment or competition. They’ll both benefit from your support.

I’m 17, getting my driver’s license soon, after eight months of driving with a licensed driver beside me. I’ve gone to driver school and taken private lessons. Yet my parents are reluctant to let me drive with them.
Mom refuses to let me go out with my friends driving. Her compromise was that she’ll continue to drive me places, but that gives me no freedom.

- Restricted

Give her time. Many parents naturally fear that new drivers will face unexpected road situations that call for good judgment and quick reflexes, while they still have little experience. It’s not a lack of trust in you, but in all the traffic snarls, speeding, darting children, ignored red lights etc. that happen every day and cause accidents.
Negotiate some times when you drive, with her supervising, in non-traffic areas. Let her build confidence in your skills. Soon enough, she’ll tire of driving you everywhere.