Design For Life

Advice: I love my boyfriend, but is his closeness to his mother something to worry about?

This week our expert advises a reader who is concerned about her partner’s mother being so heavily involved in their lives

A man’s need to seek his mother’s opinion or approval before making decisions that affect his partner suggests that their relationship is stuck in childhood/adolescence. Picture: Getty

Dear Expert,

My boyfriend, who is in his mid-30s, has a very close relationship with his mother. Originally, I thought this was great. But now I’m not so sure. He spends 30 minutes on the phone to her every day and runs all of our big decisions by her first. He is otherwise independent, loving and has a good job. I love him very much. But is this level of contact excessive? I am uneasy ...