For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 10, 2018

You got that right, Lizzie…

you also made confetti, little girl

They’re just paper, Elly. Just be glad she didn’t scissor the sofa, stab the coffee table or knock over the lamp. Just grab the vacuum and they’re gone in seconds. Don’t forget to compliment Liz on her pretty snowflakes on the window.

Or, she could have just done like my Mom, and Organized enough “assisted” play where she taught us to set things up so projects had all the mess in a small area and we knew to clean up afterwards. This worked at least 75% of the time and when it did not we learn a “new” skill – operating the vacuum.

Those snowflakes are pretty impressive. I know with my own kids, I used to marvel when they would go off on their own without any adult supervision and create things. There was all this originality and creativity and I could honestly say that it came from them and not from me. It always left me very impressed with my children and so glad they felt they had the freedom to create and express themselves.

All Ellie can see is the mess… sigh

Those ARE pretty impressive snowflakes. If they both pitch in, the mess will be gone in minutes.

How nice Liz, now you can play snow shovelling as you clean that mess up.

to make 6 point snowflakes, use round coffee filters, fold in half, then fold that half into 3 even sections making a pie slice shape. cut away!

Anyone here remember the Glasswax Christmas stencils? We used to use them on our windows when I was a kid in the ‘50s. I was surprised seeing that both Glasswax and the stencils are still available. I haven’t seen Glasswax on store shelves in decades but it is available on line.

Job well done, Elizabeth—-in more ways than one!

Be glad that she didn’t use glitter.

Ellie. Just vacuum it and stop being a grunge. It’s Christmas!

I realize this is a comic and Lynn Johnston was going for the knowing laugh that all Moms face this. But I hope that Ellie can then look past the mess and praise Elizabeth on her snowflakes, maybe encourage her to help clean up the mess. ♥

I love how creative my kids are; I also love that they are old enough to clean up the mess after creativity strikes.

Or even a lint roller – and it’ll be up in seconds.

Snowflakes on the window and on the carpet…at least they aren’t going to melt!

Just crumple styrofoam around the house.

Elizabeth made some pretty snowflakes for the window. Now she needs to clean up the mess she made. She’s big enough to use a vacuum, especially if they have a DustBuster. Ellie shouldn’t have to clean up after her.

Paper snowflakes on the window panes and paper dandruff on the carpet.

my sis and I made 6 pointed snowflakes every year (dad taught us how to fold the paper). We still do sometimes, just to see what we’ll get.

I like the innocence of getting so caught up in the project that the mess goes completely unnoticed for awhile. It is funny.

Give Liz a broom or a vacuum cleaner, to clean it all up.

No! Ellie should simply say….‘Elizabeth, would you mind if I give you a hand cleaning up? Your project turned out so lovely, I’d like to give you a hand with all these little bits so you can have a break, now!