Dear Diana,
I'm 25 and my girlfriend is 26. We met at our workplace and fell for each other. We've been going out for about six months and I'm sure about her. She's amazing and really funny. I don't think I can find flaws in her except one — she treats me like a kid. She doesn't even let go off my hand and has even started sounding like my mother. She's not possessive, but too protective. It is irritating at times that I end up reminding her that I'm not her toyboy.
— Nikhil


Illustration/Amit Bandre 

Dear Nikhil,
This is her way of showing that she really cares for you. Some women love to mother everyone around. It is kind of inbuilt. This is her way of showing that she is really concerned about your welfare. Tell her to be the girl and not the mother in the relationship. Also, all this while you seemed to have enjoyed that she was mothering you, now you find it irritating. Most guys initially don't mind it, but later it becomes a problem. The next time she gets into the mother mode, stop her in her tracks.

Dear Diana,
I'm 33 and I'm currently unemployed. I used to work in the film industry, but of late I have been out of work. During my better days, I used to date quite a lot of girls. I now feel like settling down, but nobody seems to be interested in me given my dismal career prospects. For some reason, I believe that if I get married, it will solve half my problems.
— Rupesh