My mother spent most of her 40s and early 50s taking care of everyone else. Between my grandparents' health issues, household responsibilities and our education, I honestly don't remember her doing much purely for herself. Now that things are calmer, she has started buying clothes she likes, getting her hair done occasionally and going out with a group of women from the neighbourhood.
I'm genuinely happy seeing this version of her. Unfortunately, a few relatives have started making comments like, "Aaj kal bhabhi ji bahut modern ho gayi hain." They say it jokingly, but I can see my mother becoming self-conscious again. It annoys me that a woman can spend decades serving everyone without comment, but the moment she starts enjoying herself, people notice.
How do you support a parent in situations like this without turning every family comment into a fight?