DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I have very different tastes in television programs. I like romance and drama. He watches shows about UFOs. It makes my skin crawl when he turns on shows about extraterrestrials and then lectures me about his beliefs -- backed up by these programs -- that aliens are living among us. I don’t believe it, but I also know that I can’t do anything about it, even if it is true.
How can I get him to watch some of my shows? I am tired of being forced to endure the shows he likes. It makes me really angry, and that’s no good for our relationship. -- No More Aliens
DEAR NO MORE ALIENS: Schedule together time and alone time. Let your husband know that you realize that you don’t share the same interests in TV programming. Rather than feeling that you are being held hostage watching and responding to something that irritates you, recommend that each of you enjoy alone time when you want to watch your separate TV shows. When you come together, consider turning off the TV and talking to each other or engaging in other activities that do not have the television as a distraction.
As far as watching something together, figure out what you both like and agree to watch that during those together moments.