Spaces in text edit view

Ok PLEASE!!!!

Someone has got to help me before I go bonkers!

This has been my pet peeve for a very long time now, and I am so fed up.

It can’t be WORDPRESS, it has to be something I’m doing, or not doing, or whatever… but I can’t figure it out.

Trying to add a blank space or two on a post or page or whatever…

I use the edit view and add either a <br> or  

and all will look good until I update and preview.

Sometimes it “takes” the space,
Sometimes it still lumps it all together… no line space

Whats up with that.

I can find no rhyme or reason to why sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesnt and I am loosing so much time trying to put in a few line spaces

Thanks in advance

Jo