For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 19, 2017

All those other people are like a second family to her!

This is how families feel when the dad is away all the time, too.

The library is where she works, John, so I think she has to go that one. They pay her salary.

I can understand the hockey moms, because that is something that directly supports Mike’s hockey. The arts council and the hospital volunteers are the more mysterious choices. What is Elly’s association with those organizations? Do they need her talents, or it just that they have learned the dentist’s wife is a soft touch for monetary contributions? I have known a number of doctor’s wives who were big contributors to the arts, even when their husbands were not fans.

Yeah John, you get to have a job and so does Elly. It works both ways, it’s the 80s

They ignore her if she stays home, and whine if she goes out. It’s a lose-lose situation for her.

Usually Elly is alone a home. So this fills her time. And Helping out at the hospital is good. Volunteering, the bane of capitalists everywhere.

At least in her ‘away from home’ duties, somebody says ‘thank you’ from time to time

As a wise old teacher of mine said, “You’ve got to set your priorities, fellas”.

Who’s going to be the object of John’s put-down “jokes” if Elly’s out volunteering?

Guilt trip.

Farley needs you most !!!

Predominant look in the 4th panel—‘what are we ’chopped liver’ ?

As soon as i saw this i knew that it would bring the trolls out.

I remember many programs I enjoyed helping with at the time outside of my home. I got lots of thank you’s and the feeling that I made a difference from my fellow volunteers. I received no feedback at home from the people I did so much for. Except the negative kind on occasion. “Mom, I hated my lunch today!” “Honey, why haven’t you washed my favorite shirt yet? You know I like wearing that shirt!”

Volunteering and getting involved in your community is very admirable…BUT, not at the expense of your family !

Too many people ( men and women ) use their "outside activities as an excuse, to get out of the house, and away from the responsibilities in the home.

There’s a very fine balancing line between satisfying the needs of the family and the needs of others. Not everyone is capable of walking that tightrope and it is usually the family that suffers.

Can anybody say “guilt trip”?

I’m sure most of Elly’s volunteering activities take place during the day, when she is not working at the library. These meetings to not take place every night of the week. Each committee might meet once a month, so that is one evening per week that Elly would be away. I’m sure she either left a casserole in the oven for the family, or that John has the phone number for either the local pizza or Chinese take-out place to feed the family.

Does John have any activities outside of work? He just seems to come home, eat supper and watch T.V. Unless he goes out with Ted.

Elly needs more appreciation at home and not just on Mother’s Day. People always take for granted the things wife/mom does until they lose her and they have to do those things themselves. Maybe she’s involved with so many other things because she gets a pat on the back now and then.

Man up, Dad!

Lynn’s Notes:Looking back on all this now, I don’t wonder where I found the time…I wonder where I found the energy!

They say volunteering can lead to a good paying job. But, how many times have we seen someone plug away at a volunteer job for years, and then when the paying job opens up, an outsider grabs it! (Didn’t something similar to this happen in the book/movie Peyton Place?)

They can survive a night or two without her. Dinner is easy, just get some sandwiches from the deli, Elly!

Busted!