Dear Annie: Since we have been married, my husband tends to tell his sister and mom information before me. By information, I mean that my husband will first tell his family the dates that his job is sending him out of town, and he tells me afterward. He first told his sister that his job was going to relocate us to a different state before telling me.

He also does things like wanting to fix his sister’s car before fixing my car. He does not tell me anything that’s going on with his family, and because of that, I have not gotten a chance to know any of them. Because I confront him about this, he tells me that I don’t like his family.

We have been going through this for 16 years, and I want to know if I am in the wrong for wanting my husband to take care of his wife and kids before taking care of his mom and sister, or if I should just not say anything? — Frustrated

Dear Frustrated: Of course you should say something if it is bothering you. Communication is a very important factor in a marriage, and if you feel like your husband communicates better and more frequently with his sister and mother, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Talk to him, and ask what his reasoning is. Does he feel criticized by you and not as much by his mother and sister? Is he afraid of you? Or he might simply be taking you for granted. Regardless of the issue, a healthy marriage is a partnership that requires communication.

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