Dear CeCe, A mutual friend of my ex and I is having a destination wedding. We already purchased our travel and accommodations before we split. We split up just two months ago. I can’t afford to get accommodations on my own. He told me that he would be okay with us going together and still sharing a room. I really want to go. Should I take the chance and hope we don’t kill each other? – Destination Wedding With My Ex Dear Destination Wedding, I’m going to assume you’re kidding about “killing” each other. This sounds an awful lot like […]
Dear CeCe, My sister and ex-husband’s brother started dating a few months, just before we split. Now they are getting married and want us to be the maid of honor/best man. This sounds like the worst situation I can think of and it’s going to throw me and my ex together multiple time. Is there any polite way to get out of it? – So Awkward!! Dear So Awkward! I can feel your love for your sister in your question. You don’t want to take away from her day. She is lucky to have you. Here’s the bad news! There […]
Dear CeCe, My wife and I separated 6 months ago. I told the kids it was temporary. I truly believed we’d get back together. Now we’ve decided to divorce. The kids are going to feel like I lied to them. How do we break the news and keep their trust? -Keeping their trust is important! Dear Keeping Their Trust Is Important I agree with you 100%. Life can be very difficult for kids growing up. Having loving parents that you trust helps more than you can imagine. The breakup of a family can be one of the toughest experiences for […]
Dear Readers: The phrase “Happy New Year” conjures up images of fireworks, time with friends, and the setting of new goals and resolutions to improve in the new year. What a load of pressure that can be! Which kind of New Year’s Resolution person are you? Do any of the statements below resonate with you? I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions I make them, but come on its the middle of January! I let that go a couple of days ago! That was a stupid resolution! I’m still working it . . . Whichever type of person you are, […]
Dear CeCe, My former boyfriend showed up drunk and dropped off the cat we use to share. He got to keep him when we split. He said he didn’t want her anymore. He then called the next day asking for the cat back! Do I have to give her back? – I want to keep the cat!! Dear I want to keep the cat, Not a fun situation. My first impulse is to say “sure, keep the cat!” That’s the easy response that is only thinking about the poor cat and you. Because you are looking for an opinion, I […]
Dear CeCe, After 6 years of living together, my girlfriend and I were married. Marriage shouldn’t change anything, but it did. We argued more, and somehow fell out of love. It was mutual, and we split up last month. Her parents were against the marriage because they don’t accept gay marriages. Now she wants me to go to an event with them and pretend we’re still together. I don’t like pretending. It sounds like a bad movie plot! However, I guess there is a part of me that doesn’t want them to use our split to inadvertently hurt my ex. […]
Dear CeCe, Christmas is almost here. I’ve spent my money on getting gifts for the kids, only to realize that I don’t have all the decorations I used to have, nor all the little items that made our house feel special during the holidays. My ex and I have only been split up for 3 months, and I let her keep all those wonderful keepsakes and memory holders. I can’t afford to duplicate them all. Any ideas of how I can build it back on a budget? – How can I decorate my house when I’m broke? Dear How Can […]
Dear CeCe, The holidays are here. This is my first holiday since my last relationship ended. I’m starting to feel depressed and alone. I don’t even want her back; I’ve been doing okay. There is something about the winter holidays that make me miss sharing the season with someone special. It’s probably just seasonal and will go away once the holidays are over. – I have the holiday blues! Dear I Have the Holiday Blues, I’m sorry you are suffering. While holidays can be a time of great joy, it can emphasize our feelings of loneliness. You are not alone. […]
Dear CeCe, A position at my company just opened. My ex would be perfect at it. It would also give her a considerable income boost. Should I recommend her? It would be great for her and great for the company, but we would be interacting more. We would be in different departments and our interactions wouldn’t be every day. I broke up with her as I simply wasn’t happy anymore and I am afraid she might misinterpret my recommendation and get the wrong impression.I’m not sure what to do! – Should I help my ex get a job at my […]
Dear CeCe, My Ex doesn’t know how to cook, but our shared custody agreement gives him the kids for Thanksgiving. Money is tight for both of us, and he has shared his concern about being able to cook the meal. We both believe it’s important for the kids to honor tradition, as it’s the first big holiday since we split up. I was thinking about going over the night before and prepping the meal or going first thing in the morning to get it all started for him and the kids.I don’t have any interest in getting back together. I […]
Dear CeCe, My grown daughter insists on trying to throw her father and I together at events even though we’ve been divorced for 20 years. The problems arises when our daughter invites both us and our spouses to lower-key events, like summer barbecues or holiday parties. She has ambushed us at least three times in the past couple of years, by making it sound to each couple like the other one won’t be there. Shame on us for falling for it after the first time. – Stop Making Me See My Ex! Dear Stop Making Me See My Ex, Ouch! […]
Dear CeCe, I’m wondering how much contact with an old flame is appropriate when you’re in a married relationship. My wife is keeping in touch with her first love, and I worry that she still has feelings for him. She has shared personal information with him about our relationship, letting him know when we’ve been having problems with our marriage or children. I’ve shared that I am uncomfortable with their closeness, and she tells me I am worried about nothing, that they are just friends. Although I realize I can’t control who my wife sees and talks to, nor do […]
Dear CeCe, I moved to another state to retire to a fantastic, active, senior community. My grown son just informed me that my ex, his dad is looking at buying a home here, in the same HOA, after my son told him how much I loved it. Apparently, he checked it out online and thinks it’s ideal. It is – but it won’t be ideal for me if he moves here!We get along well enough, but he married the person he left me for. This is a very social community. I don’t want to see them on a regular basis. […]
Dear CeCe, What is it with men whose profile photos on a dating sites don’t resemble the guys who arrive for a first date? Do they really think we won’t notice? I’m very specific in my profile: My true age (49), the acceptable geographic boundaries, and a true, recent photo. The last guy I agreed to meet was photographed as nice-looking, with a trimmed beard, living 30 minutes’ drive from me. He arrived at a local bar-restaurant, an hour late: A beat up 60 -year-old man with a scruffy beard and two teeth missing. I did speak with him over […]
Dear CeCe, I have been seeing a therapist to work at getting on with my life after splitting up with a longtime girlfriend. I’ve been seeing him for 5 months and don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere. I feel he talks more than I do. When I touched on some abuse in my early life – he told me that it sounded like I had dealt with it and didn’t need to go more in depth. Is this normal? He also seems to talk more than I do in our meetings, often relating stories about himself. – Is My Therapist […]
Dear CeCe, I’ve been divorced for over 3 years and have just gone on my first date. The date was a joint “date” with a good friend, her husband and her husband’s friend. My friends told me what a great guy he is, but something about him is bugging me and I can’t figure out what it is. They say I’m just being picky. He’s nice looking and has a good job. He seemed nice enough. My friend told me he wants to ask me out for a date on our own.What should I do? Should I trust my instincts […]
Dear CeCe, Before our separation, my ex and I kept the kids on a pretty good schedule. Same bedtime most nights, limited junk food. No R rated movies. If feels like she’s thrown all that out the window. There are also certain shows that I don’t let them watch, even though they are rated PG. The kids are sharing with me the new things they are allowed to do, as well as telling me their mom is telling them that my rules don’t apply at her house. I don’t think this is good for the kids. How do I talk […]
Dear CeCe, My ex and I split up over a year ago. He paid child support for the first 4 months and hasn’t paid any since then. The last time he was here to drop off the kids after a weekend with him, was 5 months ago. I asked him if everything was okay, and if he was having financial issues. He was very defensive and said he’d pay me when he could, drove off and hasn’t been back since. The kids call him, they talk, he doesn’t ask to talk to me. He tells them he’s very busy but […]
Dear CeCe, I’ve been dating a man for about month now – maybe 6 or 7 total dates. I like him, but I’m still getting to know him. I’ve only been single again for a few months. However, he seems to be all in and wants to meet my children. I feel like I need to be sure that I know him better and that he’s someone that will continue to be in our lives before I bring him to meet the kids. How do I tell him that I’m not ready? – Not Ready Yet Dear Not Ready Yet, […]
Dear CeCe, I still live in the town I grew up in. My 20th high school reunion is coming up. I have mixed feelings about attending it. Everyone knows that I’m now separated because my husband cheated on me. I feel humiliated. I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. I’m afraid that if I don’t show up the rumor mills about why will be even worse. – Should I Risk Feeling Humiliated at the Reunion? Dear Should I Risk Feeling Humiliated, Break ups are always hard, even harder when the person you loved and trusted cheated on you. […]
