Don
You sound as though you are getting cuaght in the bullets and numbers feature.
Although you have a Numbering and Bullets buttons on the Formatting Toolbar, the best way to see what is happening in your document is to place your cusor in the area where you have this problem, and then select the Format menu and then select the Bullets and Numbering menu choice. A dialog box will appear, and you will see which choice has been made. You can change it to what you want.

The other problem is that so many people do not know how to understand the ruler, with its tab settings. If the Bullets and Numbering is not the problem, its likely to be the tab settings on the ruler. Once again, place the cursor in the offending area and then click on Format, then Tabs. Click on any of the tab positions and you will see below that waht type of alignment is beeing used as well as leaders.

Most people don't understand all the Format menu choices. They are the key to most of the formatting problems within the document. If you haven't really spent time in that area, I suggest that you take some time out and study that area. It will pay huge dividends.

Even better find an advanced teacher who can give you cross training between one application and the other.
The only way anybody learns a new product is to stop using the old product and only use the new product.
I can rememeber when I was managemment accountant for Europe based in Amsterdam. I was responsible for bringing WordPerfect and Lotus into the company. I banned all the secretaries from using the old application after they went on a two day training course. The crafty devils were still using the old app. When I realised what was happening, I took the old apps away completely and left them only with WordPerfect and Lotus. I made myself available to help anybody who coudn't master how to do a task. Within a month, they didn't look back. In fact they formed a group and set weekly/monthly meetings to pass on all the new things thet they were learning. Problems were over. They didn't complain anymore. They loved WP.
The same applies when you have to Switch from WP to Word. Its tough but you have to stop using the old application or you will never learn how to use the new application. All you will do is moan about all the bad points within Word. Once again, I have seen the same happen with these 2 apps. After a short while, the secrataries loved Word and never ever wanted to go back to WP.

As a teacher, I have taught WP/Word both to Advanced level, and Lotus123/Excel again to advanced level. Every so often, it turned into pure consultancy. How do you think teachers learn to get the best from each app. Why they get the books out and study and practice. It no good saying one product is better than the other. Its a case of rolling your sleeves up and getting on with it.