I’m desperate to move closer to my family but my husband won’t hear it

DEAR DEIDRE: MY cousin wants us to move back to my home town but my husband won’t hear of it.

I met my husband online. We got married six years ago and then I moved closer to my husband’s family 50 miles away but I don’t like the area.

Plus my husband has mental health problems and when he’s feeling down, which is quite often, I spend a lot of time on my own. I’m a woman of 34 and he’s 38. 

Recently my cousin died because of a sudden bleed on the brain. She was only 34 and was a single mum.

My other cousin, her sister, now has four children to bring up.

When we went to the funeral, my cousin asked if I’d consider going back home and I said I couldn’t, but it got me thinking.

She needs some help and our children are of a similar age to both my cousins’ children.

I broached the idea with my husband but it was an absolute no from him. Now I feel really unhappy.

DEIDRE SAYS: Ask him whether you can write down together all the pros and cons of living in either place.

Perhaps a change of scene would do him good and give him a new outlook. If commuting to work is an issue, he may consider a compromise somewhere in between your families.