'Fighting over the TV remote? How old are you?'

I wanted to watch the Olympics, but my wife insisted on watching her daily soap instead, pointing out that not watching it would break her continuity. She didn't get how important the games were, and we haven't been speaking to each other since. What should I do? I think she's being unreasonable.

She's not the only one being unreasonable. To not speak for days on account of what's on television? How old are the two of you anyway? Isn't child marriage illegal?

Illustration/ Uday Mohite

I am 28 and have been married for 3 years now. It was an arranged marriage. My parents and my wife's parents don't get along on account of some differences. So, my parents crib about everything my wife does, from cooking to the friends she spends time with. I love my wife a lot and don't like the way my parents are behaving with her. What should I do?
Loving your parents is natural, as is loving your wife, so your frustration with their inability to get along is understandable. What you need to understand, however, is that your wife is married to you, not your family, and vice versa. We are conditioned to believe that we have to get along with every member of our partner's family, ignoring the possibility that human beings don't always get along very well because they can all be different. If you are not expected to get along with your wife's parents (if you do, that's great, of course), why should your wife have to get along with yours? If your parents don't get along with your wife, ask them to consider your feelings too. Point out that they don't have to like her, but this doesn't entitle them to criticise her or her choices either. We sometimes let our parents get away with murder simply because our culture makes it hard for us to point out their flaws. Break that cycle. Treat them like adults, because you and your wife are adults too.