Jeanne PhillipsDEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married 10 years, and he treats my family and friends very different compared to how he treats his own.
A few months ago, my sister called me at 9 p.m. She was driving through on her way to Florida with her 7-year-old daughter and had been trying for an hour to find a hotel at that point. We were only 40 minutes away, so I told her she could stay the night with us. When I told my husband afterward, he flipped out because I didn’t ask his permission first.
I have never invited anyone to stay with us before. My family lives far away, but I didn’t think it was a big deal to extend the invite because he constantly tells his family and friends they are always welcome. Today he informed me his son is coming to stay a week with his wife and 6-month-old (two weeks from now!).
Am I wrong to feel that if there is a rule, it should apply to both of us, and he should have asked me first? – HOUSE RULES IN FLORIDA
DEAR HOUSE RULES: No, you’re not wrong. Because your husband is such a stickler for “asking permission” before inviting relatives to stay, that same courtesy should have been extended to you.