DEAR ABBY: I have been in a relationship with a woman, "Wendy," for more than a year. She has one child, whose father isn't in the boy's life, so I fill the role of his daddy. We are now expecting a child together.
Wendy had a bad experience with her ex not wanting anything to do with his child. She also has a friend who has had kids with different men who ended up not treating them the same. Lately, Wendy has been pushing me away and trying to get me to leave. I have no plans to leave and I don't want to.
My question is, how do I make her understand that I'm not the same as the other men, and I want to be there for both children? -- MAN IN A TOUGH SPOT
DEAR MAN: A marriage proposal and joint premarital counseling might go a long way in helping your girlfriend understand that you aren't planning to disappear in a puff of smoke. It might also give you more insight into why she wants to push you away, just in case it's because she isn't as serious about you as you are about her.