Craft beer – $14.99. Essential for sports-induced laziness.Poker deposit – $50. Male bonding, aka legal gambling. Then came the real mic-drop: dinner at his parents’ house. I casually revealed the notebook, right after dessert. His mom was horrified. His dad called him out. And Ethan?

Mortified. He ripped the notebook in two and stormed out. Later, he admitted he was scared being the sole provider — but he handled it “all wrong.” I agreed. He apologized, deeply.Things changed. No more notebooks. No more financial power plays. He started valuing what I do — and showing it. Now, anytime he forgets, I raise an eyebrow and ask, “Do I need to call your mother?” Because the lesson was clear: Marriage isn’t about income. It’s about respect.