THE FUSE

Q: My husband and I have been married for three years. Each of us has a son from a previous marriage, and we have a son together. His son is more animated than I’d like, and I’m having trouble getting close to him. Since he’s only with us every other weekend, it sometimes feels like he’s a guest and I’m babysitting the ex’s child, not part of a shared family. This makes me feel even more distant. I consider our family “my husband, me, and my son and our son.” My husband considers the family “the two of us and all three children.” What’s good ex-etiquette?