The Transformation Of Dating Over The Years
Ever wondered how your parents and grandparents dated? You have seen their black and white couple photos in albums but never really cared what it was really like to date back then or if dating existed at all!Fast forward to 2019 – you are hooked up on your smartphone chatting with the one you...
The art of listening has been lost in these polarised times
The BBC’s Listening Project turns seven this month. It offers a window into a gentler, more compassionate BritainWhat was it? At first I couldn’t tell. I was listening to the radio on my headphones, and a woman was speaking, in a northern accent, gently, into my right ear, about her mother having died...
How we live together: the ‘life wives’
We’re on the same wavelength – it’s like she can read my mindZahra Jones, 40Amy and I have known each other for nearly 25 years. We met while working at Habitat in Chester; it felt like meeting a kindred spirit.We ended up living together because my ex-boyfriend and I had decided to buy...
Many women fleeing domestic abuse face poverty, report finds
Respondents in England say partners use economic abuse as method of controlVictims of domestic abuse face the choice of their families being plunged into homelessness and poverty, or staying with the abuser, a report has found.More than two-thirds of survivors of domestic abuse have reported their partners withheld money from them as a...
Domestic abuse survivors and children sleeping rough, survey finds
Women unable to get refuge place also having to sofa-surf or stay with abuserSurvivors of domestic abuse and their children are being forced to sleep rough as they struggle to find safe accommodation, a report from the leading charity for domestic abuse has said.Women’s Aid said a survey of some of the most vulnerable...
My son has special needs. Should I tell him I’m not his biological father?
Secrets in families are rarely a good idea, says Annalisa BarbieriI have a son, aged 22: J. He was born with physical disabilities and special educational needs. He’s a happy, well-adjusted young man: he’ll never be able to live independently, but he is fairly self-sufficient. His mother and I are divorced, and he lives with me....
Blind date: ‘He probably thinks I’m looking for an Irish passport’
Emily, 26, charity worker, and Barry, 24, maths teacherBarry on EmilyWhat were you hoping for?A laugh, good conversation and nice food.First impressions?She needs to work on her French – she picked the wrong dessert.What did you talk about?London geography, travel, dog borrowing apps and swimming.Any awkward moments?None.Good table manners?Excellent.Best thing about Emily?How down-to-earth...
Be honest, be kind: five lessons from an amicable divorce
Consciously uncoupling is possible: choose your battles, build a support network and learn to play the long gameIt’s not always infidelity that leads a couple to split – sometimes a marriage simply runs out of steam and both sides are better off apart. But when that happens, is it really possible to part...
A feminist’s guide to raising boys
Before I became a mother, I thought my feminism was a battle fought and won. But having three sons has challenged everythingIt’s always the things you think will be a doddle that end up causing most heartache. When I was asked to write about being a feminist and a mother to three boys,...
I have become far too close to my best friend
I know our friendship is too one-sided, but I cannot bear the thought of being without her. How do I maintain a healthier relationship?I met my best friend a year and a half ago. She’s fantastic and caring, but I feel I have become too reliant on her for advice and reassurance. I...