Dear Panel,

I am 26, and have a 6 year old.

My boyfriend is 30; he works for his own company about 60 hours or more a week, and ALWAYS makes time to see me and my child.

I fell in love with a man who loves and adores me and my son, and accepts my son as if he was his own. Being in a relationship before, where i was engaged to my son’s father, I swore that I would never play house and live with a man again until I was engaged, and only live with him for 2-3 months before I was married.

I told my boyfriend this and he still tells me everyday how he wants us both to move in with him, he wants to be engaged by the summer, live with him and marry him the following summer.

I am OK with marrying him the following summer, but not living with him for a year's wait; again, I don't want to play house, or take a trial run. He says he wants to marry me, and live with us (me and my son), but I can’t make it clear to him that I don't need to test out how us all living together will be; my theory is learn and make it work! Try.

Am I wrong?

-- Irishknot,
Massachisetts, USA