My wife Megan puts her whole heart into preparing our monthly family meals, but instead of receiving gratitude, she gets raw and cruel criticism from my relatives. After seeing her cry several times, I decided to find out the real reason behind her constant criticism. Our family has a long tradition of sharing meals, passed down from my grandmother, who believed that shared meals bring people closer together. Growing up, my father continued this tradition in his family, and we, siblings, looked forward to every such evening. When Megan and I became hosts, she was thrilled to be part of this tradition. However, during the first meal she prepared for my family, everything went wrong.
My sister Angela remarked that the food was “just bland,” and my brother Dan added that the chicken was “dry.” Even my mother suggested she use less seasoning. Megan was devastated, and my assurances that the food was delicious didn’t help. I managed to convince them to try again, but the reaction was again cool. Angela complained about the pasta, and Mom discreetly spat out the chicken. Eventually I realized that the criticism wasn’t about the food, so I decided to conduct an experiment. At the next meal, I announced that I had prepared the meal, even though Megan had made it. As expected, everyone loved it.
Angela called the pasta the best she’d ever eaten, and my parents praised the dishes like they were in a Michelin-starred restaurant. I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. I revealed that Megan had prepared the meal. The atmosphere in the room immediately changed. Mom blushed with embarrassment, and Angela avoided eye contact. They tried to put their earlier remarks in perspective, but it was too late. The truth came out. Later I apologized to Megan for what she had been through. I decided that we would no longer attend those dinners if they only served to humiliate her. Although Megan had doubts about continuing the tradition, I was determined.
She deserved more than constant disrespect. After we skipped a few dinners, my family started asking questions. I told them we wouldn’t return as long as they criticized Megan. Later, my sister confirmed my fears: Mom and Angela never really accepted Megan and thought she was “too different.” This strengthened my decision. I knew I had done the right thing by standing by Megan’s side. We decided to create our own family traditions based on love and respect, where every meal should feel like home, no matter who cooks. Do you think I made the right decision?
