Although many students in university enjoy the freedom that comes with moving away from home, there are certain things they can’t help but miss. Free groceries, being able to toss some of their laundry into mom and dad’s washes, and of course, delicious, home-cooked meals.
But after this student agreed to only visit her parents if one of her favorite dishes would be waiting for her, she quickly realized that she had made a terrible mistake. Below, you’ll find the full story of how her mother taught her a lesson, which was recently shared on the Malicious Compliance subreddit, as well as some of the replies amused readers have left.
This student agreed to visit her parents only if one of her favorite meals would be waiting for her
Image credits: Daniel Herron (not the actual photo)
But after spending the whole weekend there, she wished that she could take back her request
Image credits: Richard (not the actual photo)
Later, the woman added to the story to clarify a few points
Image credits: Successful_Tutor4306
She also responded to several comments from readers and shared additional information about the situation
"I was stuck in traffic, listening to malicious compliance Reddit stories on YouTube, when I started wondering whether I had a story from my own life"
We all have that one meal that our parents make better than anyone else in the world ever could. Maybe it’s not even a meal, but rather chocolate-chip cookies, strawberry jam or hot cocoa. Whatever it is, there’s something about it that will always hold a special place in your heart and will instantly transform you back to childhood. These foods often mean much more to us as we get older and move away from home, and apparently, sometimes, they’re the whole reason we visit home in the first place. To learn more about this hilarious tale of malicious compliance, we reached out to the Reddit user who shared the story, Successful_Tutor4306, and she was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda.
This story took place about 22 years ago, so first, we wanted to know what inspired the OP to share it now. “I was stuck in traffic, listening to malicious compliance Reddit stories on YouTube, when I started wondering whether I had a story from my own life,” she explained. “Then I recalled the lasagna incident and decided I'd share it, and possibly give 5 or 10 people something to chuckle about. I did not expect it to blow up the way it did. It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.”
Image credits: Anna Guerrero (not the actual photo)
"I've used my mother's recipe a few times, although I can never really get it to taste quite like hers"
We were also curious if her mother ever ended up addressing the lasagna incident or if there was simply an unspoken understanding that the lesson had been learned. “We laughed about it often for the first year of 3 after the incident, but less often as the years passed and it faded into memory,” Successful_Tutor4306 shared.
And as far as whether or not the OP’s mother used malicious compliance other times in her life, she told Bored Panda, “It's possible that she did, but I cannot recall any other incident.” And it sounds like Successful_Tutor4306 doesn’t often utilize it either. “The only thing that I recall doing that could even come close to qualifying, is giving a friend an empty gift bag when she answered ‘nothing’ to my question about what she wanted for her birthday. But it doesn't really count, as I had her gift in my handbag, so it's more a prank than malicious compliance.”
Thankfully, this experience didn’t ruin the OP’s love for lasagna, as she says it’s still a favorite. “I've used my mother's recipe a few times, although I can never really get it to taste quite like hers.” But it did teach her a lesson, which she’d like to pass on to others. “Don't ever try to blackmail your parents.” Mom and dad always know best, right?
Image credits: Ioan Bilac (not the actual photo)
"Don't ever try to blackmail your parents"
Finally, the OP wanted to clarify that the experience was all in good fun. “I thought it was a nice, wholesome and funny story to share and was rather taken aback that a handful of people read something different into it. So I want to make it clear that it was done, and received, in the best of humor. There was never any ill intent from either side. Oh, and my mom is awesome.”
I have to admit that lasagna is one of my favorite foods as well, so I would be more than happy to eat it for a few days. But two weeks might be pushing it… We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever been in a similar situation with one of your own favorite foods? And do you think you’d get sick of the same delicious home-cooked meal after eating it too many days in a row? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring a mother teaching her daughter a very similar lesson, we recommend reading this piece next!
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Readers applauded the mother for her brilliant act and shared their own love for lasagna in the comments
Some even shared stories of similar personal experiences
