RLA, keep sticking to what's working and don't let his comments concern you too much. It's a safety mechanism. Or a safety line. He doesn't want to fall back into what you had before so he's not letting go yet. He might venture as far in as the rope will let him while still hanging on for a while.
I would only caution you not to do anything now that you don't intend to do for the long-haul. It's a setup for failure. I don't think you are, just mentioning it.
