Yeah, I redirect a lot, too.
As long as you say nice things about their child and you don't mention something that is similar to what she said about your child, it usually works out. After all, you can't be bragging if you're saying nice things about her kid!
When I try this with people I know well, they often don't take my compliments as real because of what my son is doing. It drives me nuts. For the last couple years when a child that I know is doing something advanced or I say how good something is, there mom will be like "well, it's alright but he isn't reading." Or something to that extent. It annoys me to no end because I am not just saying a compliment to make them feel better, I really mean it and they act as if I can't think that things are good about other children. I just don't get it. They know I am not like that at all and that I don't just make stuff up. I would assume it is about their insecurity. Once I commented on my friends daughter and how she was running around and walking well (DS was only 12 months and wasn't yet), and she commented on how her daughter didn't know her ABC's and all that other stuff. So. She is walking well, that's good.
