DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I just moved in together. We have been a couple for seven years. Until now, we have lived with our parents.
I knew moving in would be a struggle for him because he's very close to his four siblings. Now that we've moved in, he calls and video chats with them every day, visits twice a week or more and has sleepovers. He also leaves work early to take his siblings on field trips or attend their sports events.
I'm finding it very frustrating being alone all the time. I have talked to him and expressed my feelings about the amount of time he spends with his family. In my opinion, it's excessive, especially since neither of his parents works.
He asked me to give him time to adjust, but it has already been a month. This is the man I want to marry one day, but I can't help but feel like I'm never put first. Please help! -- CONFOUNDED IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR CONFOUNDED: You and your boyfriend have been living together a grand total of one month. This is a period of adjustment for both of you. It's unrealistic to expect your boyfriend -- who appears to be tightly bound to his parents and siblings -- to instantly focus all his attention on you.
My advice, and I hope you will heed it, is to devote time to your own interests and activities so you won't be so dependent on him. Give it six months. If things haven't resolved in that amount of time, write me again.