Direct Answers

Five years ago I married someone wonderful. Two years ago I had my son, our first child. I gave up my job to stay with the baby, and now I am a full-time, stay at home mom. My son is wonderful, but I feel cheated and upset that I'm no longer independent.

I now have to ask my husband for everything, including money for underwear, which I find upsetting. He sees nothing wrong with this. I've handled my own money from the age of 15, and I'm now 27. Everything he wants seems important and needed, whereas what I want is second or not important.

A month ago, I asked for money for new clothes. He said the amount was outrageous, and he had things around the house that needed to be done. I haven't said anything since. A few weeks ago, he told me he's having a rack made for his Jeep. Is this at all fair?

It seems all I'm here for is to cook his meals and look after our son. I feel neglected and taken for granted. I was told by my mother-in-law that my place is in the home caring for my husband and son. I am lost as to my purpose in life. Every time I try to talk about how I feel, my husband says I'm being negative. I feel I'm about to go completely mad.

Raine

Raine, each of us needs to grow and expand, to express what is in us. If we cannot do this, our feelings and frustrations will surface in ways which are destructive to ourselves and others. You are not being negative. You feel your husband is trying to keep you in a diminished or childlike role.

We understand just how vital this issue is for you. First, decide what your goal is. Do you want a certain amount of money to spend at your discretion? To return to work? Or to have joint decision making about all expenditures?

Once you have decided, tell your husband how important this issue is to the survival of your marriage. You need to make your husband face this issue because your happiness, and his, depend on it.

The Declaration of Independence says that among the unalienable rights of men are "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." People need to find happiness. There is nothing trivial about finding fulfillment. It is in our nature to do so.

All the pain in this world is caused by unhappy, thwarted, frustrated people. Happy people don't hurt other people. They enrich the planet and bring fulfillment to others. That is why your happiness is so important.

Wayne

Wrong Number

A good friend stood me up one night after I changed plans for him. I got mad and prank called him about four times on my phone. He will ask me why I did this. What do I respond? I am thinking of lying and making up some story or changing my cell phone number. What should I do?

Kim

Kim, you had good reason to be angry, and there is nothing wrong with the honest, appropriate expression of anger. You might have gone to a driving range and driven golf balls until you vented your feelings, or thrown darts at a dartboard, or kneaded bread dough until you felt the anger subsiding.

But you didn't. You took out your feelings in a way which was directed at the person who deliberately stood you up. Don't lie or change your phone number. Let your friend know it was you, and why you did what you did.

It would have been better to speak to your friend directly, but when we are upset, we often don't take the wisest course. However, I would not apologize. When you apologize, you minimize what he did and make it more acceptable.

Tamara

Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of "Cheating in a Nutshell, What Infidelity Does to the Victim", available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers.