For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 24, 2020

oooh… sneaky

Yeah. Entering the constant state of confusion, haze, anxiety, swinging moods, hopelessness, wild excitement, esteem issues, competing with others, upmanship, oh the list is endless. I never want to revisit my teen years or early adulthood – that was just an extension of my teens. I think I woke up and climbed out of my teens when I got pregnant with my older son and left it behind. Good riddance.

Ahhh, the bunghole years. ;-D

Smart teacher….

Liz, it isn’t THAT funny!

Elizabeth’s laughing like a Snuffy Smith character. Anyway, I hope she goes to the school counselor soon, because based on personal experience both preteen and teen depression is no joke and it should be prevented from escalating, if possible. (Probably won’t happen, because ha ha, punchline)

I don’t remember turning into a teenager. I remember getting hairy but not scary. Maybe I was a teenage werewolf?

Panel 3: Why does Miss Edwards look so wide-eyed and shocked?

I wonder if Miss Edwards represents a real person. She is very impressive!

You couldn’t pay me to go through puberty again.

Like many people, when I became a teenager my parents became uncool and stupid. They stayed that way for many years. When I was about 25 or so, I went to my dad and asked, “Why am I still alive?” Holding his thumb and forefinger together he said, “It was THIS close a couple of times! If we’d had a place for the body, you’d of been gone.”

Honestly I love that last panel; Elizabeth is sweetly goofy in her delight and her teacher is a dear.

Sticky-out tongue!!

I’m getting into my late 30’s and I still feel like I’m going through an awkward teenage phase.

Off topic: Where has Howard the Duck been lately? I’m a little concerned. If you’re out there Ducky chime in. Hope all is well with you and your family.

As in panel 4, laughing should never involve sticking out the tongue.

What a evil smile on Liz’s face!

In these COVID days, you have to be particularly careful with teenagers that talk about being depressed. My cousin’s daughter made a suicide attempt a few months ago, and it really opened my eyes to how easily teenagers (or preteens in Elizabeth’s case) can be affected by the constantly negative aspects of dealing with a pandemic. I had read about it in the news, but it hits home when it is someone you know.

Miss Edwards is playing off Elizabeth’s depression as “Oh, you are just becoming a teenager,” but in real life you have to take that kind of statement very seriously. Here’s hoping she takes Elizabeth to the school counselor and lets Elly know so that she can make sure Elizabeth gets the profession help she may need.

I remember being a teenager. I liked being a teenager it was both an amazing time and a hard time, I do really wish that I had relaxed and just enjoyed it more. The one great thing about being a teenager. You think you’re a genius.