DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and his 4-year-old daughter live with me and my two children. We keep our finances separate. I am self-employed and work mostly from home. I also take care of the household chores.
My problem is that he thinks because I work from home I should take care of his daughter during the day, versus her going to day care. My schedule is very full, and I enjoy being able to work from home without the interruptions of having to play nanny while my children are in school. However, I feel guilty about not helping him out on this.
Am I selfish for not helping him, or am I justified in my feelings? -- DON'T WANT TO BE THE NANNY
DEAR DON'T WANT TO BE THE NANNY: If you need the income from your business, that's where you should be directing your energy. Your job, coupled with the housework, is enough to handle.
Your boyfriend is employed, and he can place the 4-year-old in day care during the hours your children are in school. Depending upon your schedule, including his daughter in whatever activities your children are involved in should not take up too large a chunk of your time.