Dr Love with Mid-Day: My boyfriend’s family hates me!

Illustration/Uday Mohite

I don't seem to get on with my boyfriend's family and it's starting to create problems between us. He and I have discussed this and neither of us seems to understand why this has happened. They have never been supportive of him being with me from the start, but they are not clear about why this is a problem. He has asked them this question directly too and they just dismiss it by saying he's imagining it. If they don't like me, I can live with that, but if it upsets him and makes him question whether he should be with me, this relationship won't last much longer. What can I do about this situation?
You can't force people to like you, and you can't do anything about people who won't even acknowledge how they feel because it's a lost cause. You and your boyfriend should accept this as the new reality and ask yourselves if your relationship is worth saving despite how his family feels. If it is something you both want, this will fade into insignificance and can be revisited at a later date. It's possible that time will lead to a change of feelings but, even if that doesn't happen, knowing what your priorities are can make all the difference and prevent any external factor from having an impact on what you both think is worth protecting.

Someone I have been dating for a few months seems more like a friend than a girlfriend and I can't explain why. Does this mean I should reconsider this relationship or assume that it is meant to be this way? Am I overthinking this?
Do you have any clarity on how you define a relationship and what your expectations from a partner are? That can help you articulate why you feel this way and what you think should be different. Do you assume a girlfriend should not be a friend? If yes, try and think about what that means. Also, don't shy away from discussing this with her.

The inbox is now open to take your most carnal and amorous queries. Send your questions on email to lovedoc@mid-day.com