Wow! I think it really says something, too, that your daughter noticed that you’re more yourself when it’s just you and her and away from the house. Living in that situation is not helping you in any way, no matter how much easier it would be on your girlfriend if you could live together. Your home should be the place where you feel the MOST comfortable.

I also think it’s great that your daughter felt comfortable enough to come talk to you about how she was feeling and that you listened well, took her seriously, and gained insight from what she said. That’s a really good thing. It was BAD on your girlfriend’s part to try to say she is overexaggerating and just wants attention. I am so glad you didn’t agree. It’s hard for kids to talk to their parents about issues like that because they don’t want to hurt or disappoint their parent, so it is so good that you reacted to her the way you did and then took active steps to help improve the situation and that will really show your daughter how much you care.

I think that once you get out of this situation, if you take the time to focus on your relationship with your kids, really focusing on the love and attention you give to them and get from them, as well as fix any issues you feel like you want to improve about yourself, it will work wonders on how you’re feeling… and as a bonus, that kind of love and attention from a parent will really help to set them up to have good relationships in the future with other people.

I also don’t think you need to kick your girlfriend out the minute you say something, but she needs to know how you’re feeling so it will hopefully kick her into gear on finding a place to live and she won’t be expecting to just keep on living with you. And she may not like being at her mother’s, but if her mother has got extra rooms, that means your girlfriend DOES have a place to go, and being at a place that she doesn’t want to be living will likely spur her to work harder to get out of there.

I know you’re feeling very guilty, but remember that your girlfriend has also been playing a big role in why this relationship isn’t working out.

Your situation oddly gives me insight into my own, as well. I think clarity helps, too, when it comes to feeling better and letting go because it helps you to understand what really happened and that maybe it really was necessary at the time. I just know that if you want a true love to come into your life, you have to deal with your issues first and then make room for it. Without the space, it won’t come. Dating the wrong person takes up that space.