How can I handle both criticism and praise better?

I've never been good with either. Basically with praise, when I was growing up, whenever I did something like tried to help out around the house, instead of a heartfelt " I'm proud of you." I would get something more sarcastic like "Well I'm glad you actually decided to help out." So it's like a compliment but it's also an insult. Now a better example perhaps is ROTC class, where whenever we do PT, no matter how much I suck the other guys clap and tell me great job, except it's just me, they don't do it for anyone else, and I think am I that bad, that they think I need some reinforcement to run a few laps? As for criticism I've never handled it well. Basically I think praise is fake, and criticism is truth, which I don't want to face. What should I do?