Apologies are rare in this kind of marriage. When something goes wrong, the blame tends to land on you, the children, the in-laws or anyone but them. Even gentle, constructive criticism may be met with anger, sarcasm or the silent treatment, because their self-image feels fragile and needs protecting. If you find yourself apologising for things that aren’t your fault, just to keep the peace, it may be a sign that the balance has tipped too far.