No-one has a bad word to say about my boyfriend – except for my mum

DEAR DEIDRE: NONE of my family or friends has a bad word to say about my boyfriend – he is polite and helpful. But my mum cannot stop criticising him.

I am 23, he is 27 and we have been together for a year. My parents are 46 and they divorced five years ago.

My boyfriend works as a swimming instructor at three leisure centres, which involves unsocial hours.

My mum imagines he sits around doing nothing because he does not have a 9-5 job but I should not have to justify this to her.

He lives an hour’s drive away and he came down last weekend for my birthday.

I told my mum I did not want her to cause any trouble but on Saturday she started making sarcastic comments to him. I have had enough of her behaving like this.

DEIDRE SAYS: She may fear she is losing you, she may be jealous of your happiness, and/or soured by her divorce.

Tell your mum you love her but she is driving you away by being so critical of your boyfriend. Ask her what is worrying her so you can reassure her.

But be firm that you are an adult and are confident your boyfriend is a good guy.

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