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!
This is her hilarious letter:
Hi,
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.
According to her, I could have used more cream, less salt, cooked it longer, cooked it shorter—you name it. While she delivered her “feedback” with a smile, making it hard to take offense, it was starting to drive me up the wall. Her biggest complaint? My food is too “flavorful” and “spicy.”
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.
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The next time I cooked for the family, I decided to follow her exact instructions—word for word, measurement for measurement. As expected, the result was bland and uninspiring.
When my brother-in-law asked what was different, I proudly presented my MIL’s recipe book and explained I had followed her guidance. Laughter erupted around the table, and my MIL turned beet red.
I repeated this experiment a few more times, and then—mysteriously—the book vanished. Since then, not only has my MIL stopped criticizing my cooking, but she now praises it!
Apparently, my perfect obedience was the ultimate payback. Even my husband thought it was a stroke of genius.
Now, I’m wondering—should I apologize to my MIL for taking things this far? Or should I just let it be?
Love,
Carol
