DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My sister was with her latest ex-boyfriend for only a couple months. They never seemed a good fit, and nobody was surprised when they split. She has since found someone who she seems much happier with.

During the short time they were together, I sometimes hung out with my sister and her ex. There seemed to be a little something there between him and me, although it was more joking around than flirty.

A few days ago I got a text from the guy asking if I wanted to go on a hike with him, which is something he enjoys, and my sister doesn’t. He knows I also like being outdoors, and we sometimes talked about taking on a local trail or two at some point.

The thing is, I am not 100 percent sure if this is his making a romantic or a friendship move. I also don’t know how my sister will take his reaching out to me, even though they were not a good fit and wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyway.

Do I run this by my sister before I accept his offer? I also don’t want to be misreading anything, especially if it makes problems with my sister. I like this guy, but I love my sister. --- TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL

DEAR TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL: To me, it seems the better option is to let your sister know her ex has been in touch with you. You can’t really be much more specific than that since you yourself aren’t sure if he’s looking for a hiking companion or a new girlfriend.

Hopefully, as your sister’s moved on, she’ll have no problems with her ex doing the same, if that’s indeed what he’s also working on. If romance isn’t what he’s after with you, then at least you acquire a buddy with whom you can share some outdoor adventures.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My roommate is probably the most beautiful woman I know. She is also smart. But when she gets around men, she becomes something entirely different, it’s like she feels she has to be someone she isn’t to impress them. And it seems to work. The guys fall for who they think she is, and although she doesn’t ever seem to fall for them, she seems to enjoy the effect she has on them. I find it weird and a little disturbing, like I don’t always know her.

I really respect the woman I know, but wonder if I should say anything to her about how her alter ego comes off. Do you think it would be a good thing to do? --- TWO ROOMMATES IN ONE

DEAR TWO ROOMMATES IN ONE: Two possibilities come to mind that might explain your roommate’s quick-change mode. Either she isn’t as confident as you think she is, and so slips into a persona she believes is more generally pleasing to men; or she enjoys toying with the guys she intentionally dazzles.

A third thought is that she uses her alter ego, as you call it, as a kind of litmus test to see what guys fall for the fake and which ones don’t.

To avoid coming off as judgmental, which your feelings about her behavior may appear, any private conversations with her on the subject might be best presented as an exploration of her motives, rather than an observation of what you think she’s doing wrong. However, my guess is she’ll continue to do what works best for her, especially if it’s yielded desired results in the past.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My wife is pregnant with our first child, and some of my friends laugh about my “feeling her pain,” including being nauseous most of the time. They think it’s a joke.

But I figured out I’m having what they used to call “sympathy pregnancy” back in the day, and now what I found out is called Couvade syndrome, and since some of my male friends have also had it, I now am a believer.

What I find interesting is that women get a lot of sympathy for their symptoms, but those of us experiencing sympathy pregnancy get laughed at. I’ve stopped mentioning my symptoms around people, because I don’t want it to look like I’m competing with my wife for attention, especially since I am fully grateful to her for doing the “heavy lifting,” as my dad calls it.

Do you think I’m right to keep the lid on how I’m feeling? --- FEELING HER PAIN

DEAR FEELING HER PAIN: I did a little quick research on this topic as well and was surprised to see the estimates of how many of the non-pregnant partners claim to feel at least some of the symptoms of pregnancy. Personally, I think it gives the partners who experience this phenomenon invaluable insight into what their other half is going through.

As for sharing what you’re sometimes feeling with others, that might be a situation-by-situation call. For instance, letting those close to you know is one thing, but oversharing at work may look more like either, as you suggest, an attention grab or an excuse to not perform at your usually expected level.