Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for November 09, 2018

oh, c’mon, Toni… Brad’s serious

But first, I think it’s time for a little liquid relaxation. And I don’t mean a bath, although you could do both together.

Genius at work

Where did they borrow the space for Shannon’s room from again? ✨

A kid like her is a reason for adoption.

Brad should have a place for the aspirin to deal with the tension headaches Shannon gives him…

When Toni gets back, Shannon can make her a mud pie and a cuppa mochamud.

I can’t believe it’s good parenting to make sure the kid gets to do everything she WANTS to do. Next when Brad needs to install an electrical switch, Shannon will WANT to do that. Let’s see – how can we have her help with the electrical switch? I remember once in San Francisco I was with friends visiting somebody who had a two or three year old kid (Jason). They said, “Make sure you direct every other sentence to Jason – we always like Jason to participate in every conversation.” Whew! Back to Shannon – give Shannon some drawing paper and tell her to make animals or something. Maybe also a good time to teach her the word “NO.”

Toni: She’s your Headache now

I give her some credit. She is only trying to be helpful. Some kids would be in another room, watching tv, playing games or on a cell phone. PS: I don’t think Toni is serious about jumping ship!

I thought Toni was telling Brad to take a nap.

Shannon is giving Brad a major headache !!!

I don’t care what anyone says. This is the best arc in this strip in some time.

Shannon – a student of the Jackson Pollock School of Home Improvement.

Toni and Brad and Shannon and the old house. Nest of love, but where does it lead?

I understand (truly) that Shannon has not been properly ‘mannered’ by her useless father. But come ON…this is getting out of hand! She can be taught that you can’t always get what you want. Next time she asks why he room isn’t ready…tell her the truth…that she is slowing it down!!!

Okay – sick of Shannon. NEXT.

Give just about any little kid free access to building materials and a similar result would ensue… Shannon’s just being herself, which she gets to be very often with Brad’s benign indulgence!

Shannon isn’t an evil brat. She’s untrained and neglected. There’s plenty of potential, but it’ll take time and work to get it out.

The latest is that corporal punishment is terrible and not to be used. You should just sit there and let your kid do whatever they want. I’ve seen that technique in restaurants. Amazing, like watching the aftermath of a tornado.

Ugh!

Shannon is four, right? She’s not? Do the writers know that? Anyway, let’s hope this week is just filler between story arcs, and next week will be Shannon-less.

When I was a child I did the same with my cousin. Fortunately, he’s a very patient man.

At least Toni can be thankful she can take a “nap” and leave Shannon in Brad’s capable hands.

“Cut Out The Muddle, Man”

“She Has A Certain Spackle In Her Eyes, Like Two Pools Of Mud”

“He Who Naps Last, Naps After Toni Beat You To It”

“To Sleep, Perchance To Dream That I Got A Break”

“My Love Awaits, On The Waterbed Of Some Distant Snore”

“Stucco, In First Gear”

“Twist And Grout” (♬)

“Patch, As Patch Sorta Can”

or

“Throw In The Trowel”

I see no problem here she just needs to be shown how to level and smooth with the wall knives

Can we please get back to Jack and Luann?

Just wait til they let her paint her own walls!

Told ya so! I wonder what’s in store next week?

Does the FIreFighters Union medical plan cover Excedrin? Looks like Brad is going to be buying a large bottle before Shannon’s room is done.

This is a good experience for Shannon even if it isn’t going as smoothly for Brad and Toni. Just keep teaching her how to help and be glad she WANTS to learn! After all she is only six years old. And Brad and Toni are getting good preparation for when they have their own child. They are all lucky to have each other.

I have built a couple of houses and additions and find drywalling to be the most distasteful task!

And so to me, Shannon is not cute, quite the opposite. And, Les and Gunther are not the new fun kids on the block. And, aside from Tiffany, the most interesting action should be Luann and Jack in the back of his truck.

At least she wants to help.

Toni has spoken the words like a mother of a true family would have. True she is related, but I think Brad and Toni would be good parents.

4

Realistic today. Some kids would help by waiting for instructions and would try to carefully mimic what the adults are doing. Whereas others (like Shannon) would dive in and think they know fully what to do and sometimes exaggerate the process.

I do think that Brad would have likely had a bit better luck with Shannon in this “mudding” work if he had given her an actual spatula or spreader for the joint filler. Then she would have been more likely to watch more what Brad was doing and mimic it.

In reality, it would probably be best during times where finesse is needed in the renovation, to have one or the other adults have Shannon work on or pursue something else. It did not seem that Toni was participating in the mudding aspect…. perhaps she could have had a more “specialized” task that she could have coaxed Shannon into doing?

That “mud” should be brown or dark grey. It turns white as it dries.

I just keep thinking that maybe being in the middle of a major construction job is not the time to agree to babysit an energetic child…

It’s curious that amid all of the “Gee Whiz, isn’t Shannon Cute? She Really, Really, Really SHOULD be allowed to Help Brad and Toni,” Comments, NOBODY has entertained the possibly that the kid could get HURT in doing so. Those “tools” Shann is using were made for adults, NOT “toddlers.” And even adults get hurt sometimes making home improvements using them.

And Yeah, I know “they” are not real……..,

so this kid isnt even theirs yet they are having to build her a room in an already crowded house. and during all this where is the father? And dont give me this bs about him trying to make a better life for himself so he can take care of his daughter. More like he is pawning her off to avoid the responsibility of his own child. Toni isnt helping either by being his enabler. Shannon is an undisciplined brat too who needs better parents to raise her not this broken home thing.

I had to have two stitches in my elbow many years ago. When it came time to take out the stitches, my youngest, who wanted to be a doctor, asked me if he could take out the stitches. He was 5 years old. I explained to him how to do it, and he very carefully took out the stitches. He was so proud of himself, and thanked me for weeks for letting him do this. Shannon, on the other hand, was 6 years old when Brad and Toni were married, 2 years ago, so she is somewhere between 6 and 8 in comic strip time. She doesn’t listen when adults try to explain to her how to do a procedure. She simply slops the material on the wall, and says “more” when Brad tells her “less.” I love children, and love to see them do things to help others—but this is ridiculous. That child needs clear expectations and consequences if she doesn’t follow them. Shannon is receiving a lot of affection but very little discipline. This is the least effective way to raise a child.

Time to tape Shannon up.

Perhaps the room took longer to build, Toni and Brad first needed to reinforce and soundproof the walls.

Sometimes help is not help.

Shannon needs limits, and someone needs to step up and be the limiter, even if she screams about it.

haaa! Love Shannon! Just teach her how to do it right, and she’ll have fun with it! :)

Ease up Bwad. Remember, it’s HER Room.

Let her add a few “Personal” touches.

Maybe Shannon attended a Montessori school? (The school of ‘show, don’t tell’…

I appreciate one of the jokes that no one seems to have noticed. I think what Brad meant when he asked if it wasn’t nap time yet, was, isn’t it time for SHANNON to have a nap? But energetic Shannon isn’t very ‘nap-oriented’. Instead, she is creating a need for naps in other people…

Hold on a second there, Toni! You don’t get off that easy! Shannon is your niece, after all!

I remember getting a spanking (Not a hard one) for being over exuberant back about 40 years ago. LOL!

Please, please, please no more of this boring and annoying Shannon thread. Seriously.