For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 18, 2023

You knew this would happen

This is the point where moms say “Come right back here young lady” or words to that effect. Sometimes harsher words. ;-)

My parents would have said, “well, you should have started this project when it was first given to you. It’s now time for bed so pack up.” My parents would help if, for example, I didn’t understand at all how to do a maths problem and would go over the method, but the point of homework was to see whether I had understood the day’s teaching. If I was struggling with the homework then the teacher needed to know that to see where I required additional explaination.

Elly should make Liz watch what she’s doing so maybe she’ll pick up some knowledge. Though, Liz should not have waited to the last evening to start.

When I was in Lizzie’s spot, my mom coached me, but never took over in any way. I got reasonable marks, probably because it was obvious that I did my own work. :P

I think that I see a “Con Job” going on here.

My SIL did every one of her son’s projects. He learned nothing and to this day he is a slug.

hold it young lady, you ain’t guilt tripping her that easily!

Zippers are a real pain. I’ve been sewing since the pterodactyl was our national bird, and I still try to avoid making clothes that have zippers.

“Back, back, back!”

In junior high I told myself I would not wait until the last minute. I kept my word and got started on the project on the “first minute”. :) My project was going to be a presentation before the class on current events, and I was chosen to look at Panama. I made a detailed speech about the standoff. The night before the project was due I was watching the news.

Noreiga had just been extracted!

She should supervise, not do it!

Get back here, kid!

Rules for teens:

1.) The world is unfair. The sooner you understand that, the better prepared you will be.

2.) Society expects to accomplish something first, then work on your self-esteem.

3.) You will not make big bucks right out of college. You have to earn a respectable position. Also, do not be cocksure about easy money in sports or show business. Those careers could be gone in a flash, as if they had grown wings like a bluejay.

4.) If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss or serve under a company commander.

5.) School may have done away with flunking, but the private sector has not.

6.) Working with your hands is not beneath anyone’s dignity. Your immigrant ancestors called it something else; an opportunity.

7.) It is not a good idea to belittle those who go to prep school or a military academy. Chances are you are going to end up working for an alumnus of one of those institutions.

I don’t recall my parents ever helping me with homework.

Elizabeth should be sitting at the machine, Elly beside her giving the pointers. Sewing is a job of eyes and fingers.

Oh no you don’t girl. Sit your butt down and watch and learn!

Ah yes the old teenage maximum:

Those who can, do.

Those who can’t, con their parents into doing it for them.

Just sayin’ – my parents never helped with any school project except providing the raw materials.

And this is why I don’t like Elizabeth. Imo she’s a lazy, entitled brat.

Well, I suppose I would have done the same thing.

It was for school? Made more sense if Elly had Elizabeth “help out around the house” by doing sewing work, as well as sending Michael and April to a bauxite mine, and send Farley to the dog fights.

New living room furniture is not cheap, you know. Elly can use her kids for the “greater good”.

Yeah, my parents would have helped me, however they would have given me grief because I procrastinated.

Not done on time, no problem, blame someone else. That’s today’s way…

Typical, typical Elizabeth. Whoever heard of Dawn Enjo shirking her academic responsibilities?

How can the school be sure every student has a sewing machine?

Get back here,Liz. Misery like this was born to be shared.

i think Liz played Mom like a fiddle.

Sewing in school comes with patterns and directions. Simple directions. Someone was not able or willing to focus from one step to the next. Take a break, go back to it. Or let someone else do it, I guess, and learn nothing.

my grandmother was a seamstress and worked for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union – there was nothing she couldn’t make. She created my moms wedding gown. My mom could go to the store, look at four or five dresses, come home and combine them. Me, I can’t sew a pair of drawstring pants

If this was a homework assignment, it’s wrong to assume every household has a sewing machine. One of the reasons I had to call my child’s public school was the time a bible was required to complete the homework. (No google at that time) I questioned my child to find out if a bible was used in class, if one had been offered to students for homework, or any were available. It turned out that nothing was said in class about a bible being needed for homework and child was quite surprised when I told her that was where she needed to look for the answer. I am an atheist, but that doesn’t mean I am stupid. I had a bible and it turned out something like 4 kids got the bible questions correct, including mine. I called the public school and questioned the issue. I was told it was the teacher’s last year at the school. At one point, all the class was asked to stand up if they believed in god. I assume any god, since she didn’t specify, according to child. Another time I received a call from the school accusing child of being a witch. I laughed. She had been reading a popular series of witch-related books, with my approval and their reading level was above her grade in school. I had read the books to be sure they were appropriate for her. I asked the school if they discriminated against any religions, and I was told oh no, they were very inclusive. I said wiccan was a religion, and if they wanted to pay my child’s way through college, we could go to court. Child was not and still is not wiccan. This public school system is rated excellent every year, but I guess even top schools can have some not-so-great employees. Child was also in the gifted and talented program for multiple subjects.

“Help you with it” does NOT mean “Here, I’ll do it for you”, Lizard-breath!

Oh, no you don’t.

Remind me: what is Elizabeth trying to make? Is it a jacket or a dress or something?

She looks like John in the last panel.

I had a sewing class in college, and instead of simply hemming the skirt like a sane person, I ended up sitting on my bed at like 11pm hand-sewing a blind stitch so it would look nicer… on a very full skirt of slippery silky fabric. I still have the skirt, but most of that hand-stitching has fallen out by now. (Not that it matters except aesthetically—I had to serge all the edges )