People come in all shapes and sizes—just like mothers-in-law and family dynamics. A Bright Side reader recently shared a tricky family dilemma involving her overly critical MIL. Unlike the rest of the family, who enjoyed her cooking, her mother-in-law seemed to have an issue with everything she made. But when the criticism went a little too far, she decided to turn the situation around with some well-executed malicious compliance!
I can’t help but chuckle as I write this, but here’s how things unfolded with my mother-in-law. To be clear, she’s not a terrible person, but she did take things a bit too far. We live close to my in-laws, and since my husband’s family is very close-knit, we see each other often.
Like any family, we have our routines. My husband and I divide household chores—I handle the cooking, and he takes care of the cleaning. This arrangement works perfectly since I genuinely enjoy cooking and, frankly, I’m better at it than he is.
I can’t help but chuckle as I write this, but here’s how things unfolded with my mother-in-law. To be clear, she’s not a terrible person, but she did take things a bit too far. We live close to my in-laws, and since my husband’s family is very close-knit, we see each other often.
Like any family, we have our routines. My husband and I divide household chores—I handle the cooking, and he takes care of the cleaning. This arrangement works perfectly since I genuinely enjoy cooking and, frankly, I’m better at it than he is. Most of the family loves my food and often compliments me. The problem? My MIL. She critiques everything I make. No dish is safe.
She constantly gives me tips on how to “improve” my cooking. But the last straw was my birthday. We hosted a family gathering, and I went all out in the kitchen, preparing a meal that even Gordon Ramsay wouldn’t dare criticize. Everyone loved it. My MIL, however, said nothing.
Then, she handed me a birthday “gift”—a handwritten book listing every dish I regularly make, complete with her notes on how I could “do better.”
Inside, I was fuming. But instead of reacting, I smiled, thanked her sweetly, and carried on with the party.
