Dear Prudence,
I am in my mid-40s and currently live with my parents because of their health issues and lack of savings. I run my own business and basically have my hands full with everything. I retired from dating after my disaster of a divorce. I married a single mom after four years of dating and the marriage barely lasted two. Her two oldest hit their teens as absolute terrors and their mother did nothing but make excuse after excuse. I hit my limit when her oldest stole and scraped up my car and laughed in my face when I said they were grounded until they paid for repairs. My wife said I wasn’t “allowed” to do that. So I left. And she tried to drag it out as long and painfully as possible. Since then, the few dates I have had similar red flags so I gave up. The problem is that friends and family have been pushing me to get back out there because they say I am a great guy and that the right one is out there. How do I get everyone off my back? Talking doesn’t seem to work.
—Single in Seattle