How long must she wait?

Dear Amy: I am 30- yearold professional, and I have been with my boyfriend for five years. We have lived together for three years. We recently got a dog, and things are going well overall.

He knows that I want to get married and have kids. He says he wants that too, but I don’t know what he is waiting for. I haven’t nagged him— although that’s what all my friends say I need to do to get a ring. I know it isn’t a financial issue. I’ve also told hima general idea of the ring Iwould like.

I feel like I have been patient waiting for him to be ready, but at what point does it become disrespectful for him to expect me to play “wife” without making the commitment?

Iwant him to propose because he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, not because he feels like he has to, but I don’t know how else to get through to him. If he doesn’t want to marry me, I feel like he would know by now and should tell me if that’s the reason.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Waiting for a Ring

Dear Waiting: I’m not sure why it is disrespectful of your boyfriend not to ask you to marry him when you are already living together. If marriage is your desire and if this is how you frame success in your relationship, then you are the one disrespecting— or suppressing — your own goals. If he wanted to be married, he would be married to you by now.

I am not blaming you at all for wanting what you want. But the way to get what you want is not to pretend that you don’t want it. Don’t nag, but do discuss this. If you have a timeline in mind, you should be open about it. You should be prepared to leave the relationship if it isn’t leading toward fulfilling your own goals.

Dear Amy: I’m a 16- yearold guy and am going to be a junior in high school.

I’m attracted to a girl, “Randi,” a friend of my younger twin sisters. She is 14 and is going to be a freshman at my school.

We are close friends, which causes a lot of tension withmy sisters and my parents, who think I’m being inappropriate. Randi and I talk all the time, and she has also expressed some interest in me. I’ve been considering whether to ask her out andmake it official.

Is my family right about her being too young? She’s very mature for her age. Should I continue to pursue this or wait and possibly miss my chance?

Slightly Older Guy

Dear Slightly Older: Asking a girl out does not make anything “official” — other than officially declaring your interest in her. “Randi’s” folks might not want her to go out with anyone ( or anyone older) until she is a little older too.

I can’t say whether your parents are right about you being “inappropriate,” because you don’t provide details about your behavior that they might object to. But in my mind a16- year- old guy who has a crush on his sisters’ friend seems like a normal and “appropriate” experience.

Continue with the friendship but hold off on any big romantic gestures for now. The start of the school year should be a time of transition and adjustment. The adjustment for her into high school is especially big. Suppress your instinct to lock this down; instead you should hang on and hang out and see what happens.