For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 31, 2010

It’s always great to hear a lecture that makes great sense that’s immediately followed by some numbskull demonstrating it’s truth.

And an obnoxious one too, most likely…

Like I always say, if we would just apply half of what we use to train dogs and apply it to humans, the world would be a better place.

Not so. Dogs are not humans, and humans are not dogs. Your goals in training a dog and your goals in raising a child are entirely different things. Do you really want a child who behaves like a well-trained dog? (If so, then just take the Pill and buy a dog; it’ll be a lot easier and cheaper.)

U want your dog to behave and listen, u also want your kid to behave and listen.. Not that much difference.. Animals usally behave better then small kids.. since we don’t cave when we tell them no..

Isn’t that what grand parents are for? Mom & Dad says “NO” & Grandpa or Grandma says “Why Not?”

Don’t remind me, Brother_James437. My mom is coming to visit tomorrow. While she was very strict on us, she has become just like the annoying man in this comic. I’m trying to raise good, healthy kids without having people undermining my efforts all the time. (And, yes, I do let her spoil them a lot. I just think that going around a parent’s decisions too much is plain disrespectful.)

Since Farley has no recall, why is he loose? No recall no trust, it’s that simple. Now the person just has to go get him, and start teaching recall consistently. Same with children–being consistent is always a plus.

I want a cookie.

I want two cookies.

I wish I could put my husband in time-out… he does what the guy in the comics did a lot. So I’m the mean mom and he’s the cool dad. Sigh. I don’t mind being mean, kids need boundaries, just want a mean partner too. :)

one of them need to be the meanie and one the cool parent

Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues! Blues clues!

My parents didn’t raise our kids and didn’t keep cookies on hand. Their dad though a different story he would buy the cookies. Our kids are adults now.

I had my kid convinced that a cracker (regular saltine) was a cookie

The trick for kids is to have cookies that the kids don’t like. I know this is true because my folks kept lemon cream cookies in the house when I was growing up. We never begged for cookies.

As a grandmother myself, I feel it is my right and responsibility to spoil my grandkids ;-/ Then send them home to Mom and Dad to straighten them out…(I’m really bad)

Who the heck that man is? He is way too spoiled on that kid for that cookie. sheeshh!

My parents didn’t spoil my kids, unless you count paying attention to them. Thankfully, they lived close enough we saw them frequently. My in-laws (who lived out of state) thought they had the right to spoil our kids, but still expected them to behave. (Like buying them squirt guns, but then getting upset when our sons squirted their neighbors. Hello? What else were they supposed to do with them in a retirement community?) I finally got my husband to communicate to his parents some boundaries. Much better since then, although my kids still dislike going to see those grandparents, because they never know when they’re going to do something to upset them. (A son got in trouble for sitting on their air mattress bed. It had a slow leak before that, but it was HIS fault - according to them - that it went flat during the night.) Kids do best when the boundaries are known ahead of time, and they are consistent.

Rmom, consistency is key in everything.

Forget 3 cookies. I’m selling boxes of it. Anybody want some girl guide cookies? ;)

@BigHug…yummy, but if its for the girl guides, you must be so far away our scouts can’t find you.. Hope you sell a lot.

Isn’t it ok if someone else gives the kid a cookie – lets mom off the hook, shuts the kid up and the kid isn’t going to eat her dinner anyway, so what’s the harm?

lindz - the problem is that its the kids father. The reason that this is a big deal is that it shows that once again Steve doesn’t care about Annie’s opinion and never will.

Whoops, sorry – not paying attention & I was thinking it was Elizabeth. I see you’re right. And the undermining of Annie’s authority is a bad signal for the tykidoo (not to mention what it does for Annie).