Tough the job of a parent – to prepare kids for the real world, but to let them be kids (Calvin-style, not spoilt/entitled brat style) as long as possible.
You think grown-ups have it all figured out? That’s just a hustle, kid. Grown-ups are making it up as they go along, just like you. You remember that, and you’ll do fine.- Lawrence Woolsey – (John Goodman) – “Matinee”
I’m 73. I have a house, a wife, a son, and a cat. I have worked in a number of countries, and now retired. I have organized weddings and funerals. I’ve got insurance!
And I’m still waiting for the moment when I feel like a grown-up who knows what to do.
My mother once told me our children protect us, precisely because they expect us to know how to handle whatever. You can’t come apart at the seams when you have as many little kids looking up to you as she did. Well, that didn’t work…I was her last child, and her seams were losing threads all over by the time I was four. She made the remark about “protection” when I was twenty, and married myself.
Maturity is not about always making the right decision. It is about taking responsibility for you actions and accepting the consequences when you are wrong.
That is deep and meginful. But I think that adults stay up all night watching TV and jump into bed when we go to their room to through us off their trail
I’m currently reading Ann Thwaite’s biography of A. A. Milne which inspired the film “Goodbye Christopher Robin”. It includes an excerpt from a letter by Milne to his brother Ken after the Milne’s returned from Cotchford Farm near Five Hundred Acre Wood, Ashdown Forest to find that their London home had been burgled. A. A. Milne shows a very good example of a sense of humour at a time of crisis.
“Fortunately they were only out for the jewellery, and ignored all the silver spoons and forks. Still more luckily, they searched every drawer in the house for Daff’s jewel-case, and the actual case (which they probably thought was a tea-caddy) looked on and laughed at them.”
This was before Tigger was added to Christopher Milne’s toys. He had only recently been given Kanga and Roo.
Life is ad-libbed. The best we can hope for is to have elders and friends who ad-libbed it before and can tell us what to do. I suppose now a days we look to TV for situational reactions. Maybe that is the attraction of ‘reality TV’.
I’m with Dad. Life doesn’t get any easier for making choices as one ages. Old-agers like me call it the Age of Adjustments, as one decision has many possible outcomes, any of which might also need ‘adjustment.’
Teach you children well, Your father’s hell did slowly go by// And feed them on your dreams, The one they picks The one you’ll know by// Don’t you ever ask them why, If they told you, you would cry, //So just look at them and sigh, And know they love you //// Crosby Stills Nash – Teach Your Children………. Rhymes are a bit forced, but the melody is great and the message is appealing.//// By the way: Does anyone know what to type in to force a line break?
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts…Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchelAnd shining morning face, creeping like snailUnwillingly to school.
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
How dreary to be somebody!How public, like a frog,To chant your name the livelong dayTo an admiring bog.
The only advice I have for the younger crowd is simply this; growing old is inevitable. But growing up is purely optional. Opt out, kids; adulthood is a trap.
Watterson should have been more consistent with this story arc. Today he drew Calvin’s mom and dad on the wrong sides of the bed. Yesterday the mom was on the left side of the bed and this is still the same story arc where the burglar broke into the house
BE THIS GUY over 5 years ago
The best us are making it up as we go.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0UrDWZGAk
.
Sugar Bombs 95 over 5 years ago
This is, in my opinion, where Calvin and Hobbes becomes the greatest strip ever.
Would you ever see Family Circus, or indeed, ANY currently-running strip, get this deep?
The Calvinosaurus That Calvin Wanted To Discover over 5 years ago
Also make sure you have a tiger at home who can scare the thieves off.
in.amongst over 5 years ago
Yup! Life goes from stage-managed to ad-libbed pretty quickly!
Watcher over 5 years ago
And with each ad-lib wisdom is gained. To bad we do not pass that along to the generation that follows us.
enigmamz over 5 years ago
Then he must envy Calvin’s ability to stay 6 year after year.
Templo S.U.D. over 5 years ago
No one said life was going to be easy, but rather it was going to be worth while.
jvn over 5 years ago
Amen.
jackhammer165 over 5 years ago
Tough the job of a parent – to prepare kids for the real world, but to let them be kids (Calvin-style, not spoilt/entitled brat style) as long as possible.
Baarorso over 5 years ago
You think grown-ups have it all figured out? That’s just a hustle, kid. Grown-ups are making it up as they go along, just like you. You remember that, and you’ll do fine.- Lawrence Woolsey – (John Goodman) – “Matinee”
Robin Harwood over 5 years ago
I’m 73. I have a house, a wife, a son, and a cat. I have worked in a number of countries, and now retired. I have organized weddings and funerals. I’ve got insurance!
And I’m still waiting for the moment when I feel like a grown-up who knows what to do.
orinoco womble over 5 years ago
My mother once told me our children protect us, precisely because they expect us to know how to handle whatever. You can’t come apart at the seams when you have as many little kids looking up to you as she did. Well, that didn’t work…I was her last child, and her seams were losing threads all over by the time I was four. She made the remark about “protection” when I was twenty, and married myself.
bluram over 5 years ago
I can see it now, it’s going to be a long long night.
Mediatech over 5 years ago
Maturity is not about always making the right decision. It is about taking responsibility for you actions and accepting the consequences when you are wrong.
SonicFan91 over 5 years ago
That is deep and meginful. But I think that adults stay up all night watching TV and jump into bed when we go to their room to through us off their trail
Calvinist1966 over 5 years ago
I’m currently reading Ann Thwaite’s biography of A. A. Milne which inspired the film “Goodbye Christopher Robin”. It includes an excerpt from a letter by Milne to his brother Ken after the Milne’s returned from Cotchford Farm near Five Hundred Acre Wood, Ashdown Forest to find that their London home had been burgled. A. A. Milne shows a very good example of a sense of humour at a time of crisis.
“Fortunately they were only out for the jewellery, and ignored all the silver spoons and forks. Still more luckily, they searched every drawer in the house for Daff’s jewel-case, and the actual case (which they probably thought was a tea-caddy) looked on and laughed at them.”
This was before Tigger was added to Christopher Milne’s toys. He had only recently been given Kanga and Roo.
Harumph over 5 years ago
They switched sides on the bed…
jpayne4040 over 5 years ago
I was never in a hurry to grow up. All of that “grown-up stuff” never looked fun. I was right.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Life is ad-libbed. The best we can hope for is to have elders and friends who ad-libbed it before and can tell us what to do. I suppose now a days we look to TV for situational reactions. Maybe that is the attraction of ‘reality TV’.
57 Chevy over 5 years ago
must have be a real rough night for them to switch sides of the bed. Dad move from the left to the right from yesterday’s comic
sandpiper over 5 years ago
I’m with Dad. Life doesn’t get any easier for making choices as one ages. Old-agers like me call it the Age of Adjustments, as one decision has many possible outcomes, any of which might also need ‘adjustment.’
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 5 years ago
My take is to do it and not think too much about it. Once you start thinking about your responsibilities, that is when you start to get the shakes.
Ray*C over 5 years ago
Teach you children well, Your father’s hell did slowly go by// And feed them on your dreams, The one they picks The one you’ll know by// Don’t you ever ask them why, If they told you, you would cry, //So just look at them and sigh, And know they love you //// Crosby Stills Nash – Teach Your Children………. Rhymes are a bit forced, but the melody is great and the message is appealing.//// By the way: Does anyone know what to type in to force a line break?
gantech over 5 years ago
Wait a minute…Calvin’s dad thought of that…Calvin’s dad??
Troglodyte over 5 years ago
Growing up is so hard to do.
Earnestly Frank over 5 years ago
This is the third strip in a row without Calvin in it. I wonder if that is a record.
Mokurai over 5 years ago
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts…Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchelAnd shining morning face, creeping like snailUnwillingly to school.
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
How dreary to be somebody!How public, like a frog,To chant your name the livelong dayTo an admiring bog.
Emily Dickinson, I’m nobody. Who are you?
jdrk_07 over 5 years ago
They switched sides of the bed
Bookworm over 5 years ago
The only advice I have for the younger crowd is simply this; growing old is inevitable. But growing up is purely optional. Opt out, kids; adulthood is a trap.
19ren38 over 5 years ago
Never give advise to adult children unless they ask for it!!!!!
JodyDickerson1 over 5 years ago
Experience is the best teacher. Unfortunately it kills all its pupils.
DCBakerEsq over 5 years ago
I make it up as I go.
janbear30 over 5 years ago
Tried but they did not want to listen.
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member over 5 years ago
Wait a MINUTE… A collared, short-sleeve shirt to bed?
Dad must be ready for action! No jammies for this guy.
geckoman22 over 5 years ago
When did they switch sides on the bed? I tell you, where’s that continuity person when you need ’em?!?! LOL
Kali over 5 years ago
That’s what we never understood when we were kids: There simply is no rule book for being a parent OR an adult.
Then when we actually GET there, we feel we’ve been cheated….
davetb1956 over 5 years ago
Watterson should have been more consistent with this story arc. Today he drew Calvin’s mom and dad on the wrong sides of the bed. Yesterday the mom was on the left side of the bed and this is still the same story arc where the burglar broke into the house
hagarthehorrible over 5 years ago
The childhood has it’s own carefree charm.