For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 03, 2019

now that I think about it, when did television first come to Canada?

Television in Canada officially began with the sign-on of the nation’s first television stations in Montreal and Toronto in 1952.

Back in 1990, Michael’s assertion about his father would have been true. Dr. Rod Johnston, on whom John Patterson is based, was born in 1945 and when he was growing up, his family did not have a television. The same was true of Lynn Johnston, who was born in 1947, and has often told stories about how her family got their first television in the 1950s.

Michael, you will soon learn there really isn’t much on TV, especially nowdays.

Think of the money, Michael! My brother and I did odd jobs for our parents and neighbours. When there was a snow day we went around shoveling people’s driveways and walks and made money. It was great to augment our allowances and buy stuff with it. It was nice for the parents to not have to do so much but delegate it to us for what was to them pocket change.

It is likely there was TV when your dad was a kid. Probably black and white, though…for the original Pattersons who were likely born in ’50s – early ’60s. They were antenna based and had only a few channels. I was a kid in the latter ’60s and my parents bought a color TV so I was lucky. I remember watching cartoons in the mornings while mom made breakfast but once breakfast was over, the tv was turned off until dinner time so my dad would watch the news. The tv stayed on for a few hours in the evenings and turned off an hour before bed . Nowadays tv and computers are left on at all hours of the day. And tv in almost every room in the house.

“When I was your age I was mowing lawns, pumping gas, delivering groceries…”

Today, people are passing on lawns in favor of drought-resistant landscaping, car owners pump their own gas at self-serve stations, and self-driving cars/vans will soon be delivering your groceries. Enjoy it for now, Mikey. The 21st Century looks bleak, employment-wise.https://www.businessinsider.com/kroger-has-launched-self-driving-grocery-deliveries-in-arizona-2018-12

We’re doing the opposite for our girls. They’ve always had to “be” somewhere during the summer: day care when they were preschool; day camp in their elementary days; and an academic program (that they actually WANTED to do & actually had to apply for) in their middle school years. Last summer was the first summer our older daughter didn’t have to be anywhere, so we let her just do whatever she wanted (although she does have AP summer homework to do). Next year we’ll do the same with her sister.

Get on boy, show some ambition, how are you going to pay for your Iphone?

That was before the advent of you-pump-it gas stations. Think the only place in the U.S. where they still need people to pump it for you is New Jersey.

These last several strips with Michael in them, show a child who needs a real come-to-Jesus meeting.

Oh, and you’re wrong, Michael. Television was actually INVENTED in 1927, long before your father was born. It simply wasn’t popularized until after World War 2 in large measure due to production issues. Oh, and the concept actually existed as far back as the early 1800s — the technology was simply very different! https://bebusinessed.com/history/history-of-the-television/

Put him on a farm for the summer – he’ll learn what work is – and maybe learn some work ethics…

I have noticed that the idle people I know only really want to work at things that will allow them to be idle more comfortably.

Michael and I are around the same age (I baby-sat from about age 11 or 12). And now, Michael and Lizzie are the ages of my oldest and youngest kids. FBOFW has been with me my whole life, making me thankful for a real strip where life isn’t perfect and you can see people like you know.

Lynn’s Comments: A week ago, some dear friends from North Bay came to town and we had a chance for a good long visit. In reminiscing about how long we’d known each other, they reminded me that they had hired my son to mow their lawn one summer. That was his first job! He will be 46 soon. How time flies.

I wish we got to see more of nice Michael and less of bratty Michael.

I was born in 1946. We had a tv by 1950. I remember the test pattern and that they played the National Anthem before going off air. Of course that was about 8PM. Memories…

At least his parents didn’t have the bright idea, “Michele can watch Elizabeth because he’s old enough”, my dad came up with the solution because it would be cheaper, I could work for free. My brothers acted like Elizabeth, but I got in trouble for their behavior. If they made a mess I got grounded, if they didn’t do their chores, I got in trouble for not making them, and my brothers knew nothing would happen to them.

My dad figured it wasn’t going to work when my parents came home from a date and found my brothers locked in the bathroom hiding from me, while I was outside going to kill them, after they trashed the kitchen. At that point I figured if I was going to be grounded again for what they did, I had nothing to loose.

We got ours in 1958. Do to garbage programming and fake news, I quit watching any TV years ago.

I was born in 1948 and we got our first TV mid 50s (I was probably 6 or 7). My family couldn’t fit it into the budget so my mom sold Avon until she had earned enough for the purchase. Although we only got one channel, I remember lots of good shows: Gunsmoke, Ozzie & Harriet, Ed Sullivan, etc. Because we weren’t overwhelmed with unlimited choices in those days, we still spent most of our time playing outside.

I have never had a kid offer to mow my yard. However, there are plenty of ads for walking your dog or house sitting. Can’t say I blame them. Dog walking is a lot less work and better paying.

I also earned spending money babysitting when I got a little older. For 35 cents an hour!

The real surprise is that Michael managed to keep that last remark behind his teeth!

My grandkids cannot fathom how I could grow up without the internet, cell phones, and color tv.

I grew up with radio and Saturday matinee movies ( 25 cents admission). We didn’t get our first black & white television until the mid-50’s when my father finally gave in to buying one, because his kids were spending all their time watching tv. at the neighbors!

I was 10 or 11 when the 1st TV came into our home in 1954 or 1955. It was a round tube Du Mount, with beautiful solid walnut cabinetry, all of 7" diagonally measured and cost my dad a month’s wages. The Dodgers and Giants were still in NYC those days, so we watched them and rooted for them, also watched the Yankee games and rooted against them. I remember Howdy Doody, I Remember Mama, My Little Margie, Chloris Archer, The People’s Choice, and Fibber McGee and Molly, and I loved Amos and Andy. Sky King, Captain Midnight and The Adventures of Superman were also favorites.

The dreaded;" When I was your age" talk from your father! I got one when I was a pre-teen and I have to admit that I did the same thing to my son. What goes around; comes around.

Mike’s whiny, “I don’t want a job,” cracks me up! That comes under the heading of “Too bad, how sad!”

Hey kiddo I was 11 when I started babysitting, mowing the lawn, clipping stuff, helping my mom clean, plus I sold Avon and I was so proud to go on a Friday and put my savings in my savings account. Along with my allowance I got on Friday too. Then I got magazines, books, shoes, and clothes and other stuff and never had to ask my parents for money. You are certainly old enough to do chores. Everyone contributes to a household.

Television was constructed as early as 1920 but the war delayed its development and offering to the general public. And it is a funny joke that is sort of true.

that look and that attitude is very true to most kids today – no matter how much reasoning is involved. That is why the youth today think Socialism is a good thing.

Even if John did have a TV growing up, it probably wouldn’t have changed anything in regards to his upbringing.