For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 13, 2009

From the mouths of babes.

The innocence of a child.

Everything is a competition. That being said, my mom was an excellent artist and poet. Good reader too.

Or sing you to sleep, or cuddle you when the world gets nasty!

(Sept 21 1925 - June 26 2008 – RIP, Mom!)

LOL Gweedo Murray - your owie :o))

And what’s with John’s expression in the last panel; that looks suspiciously like a smirk to me. Hope Elly doesn’t turn around and see that! Although at least he did the hand on the shoulder thing :o)

Steve my sympathies. i lost my mother 9 days earlier than you did yours, and still miss her.

It’s inevitable. You may not realize it until you’re 26. Or 53. Or 77. But you will come to one irrefutable conclusion eventually: your Mom is always right!

My mom taught me to read when I was 3 years old.

As for John I’d like to see what things the teacher does better than him. Seems he’s always getting to be smug at Elly’s expense.

I think John is trying to comfort Ellie with his hand on her shoulder and a slight smile. Why do you always think negative about him?

He’s getting you back for that stare, yesterday.

elly, you will realize that the kids actually turn out okay in the end

Meh… I got in trouble in kindergarten when I got bored with the story the teacher was reading, and grabbed another book and started reading myself… OUT LOUD! (Yeah, I was louder than the teacher… and I was “the quiet one” in my family!) I literally cannot remember a time when I could not read; that skill came in handy when I started a career in broadcasting! (grin)

Not me only one type of challenge is homework. Sometimes when my kids where small and had homework they would ask me I find out where they where see the answer and head them in the direction. My daughter always got mad at the teachers, because of comparing her to another girl student and she did not like that at all. When she went to college she did her own homework and found out how different it was and no comparison. I think she liked college better then HS. Like son and father. That smirk on John’s face.

My mum was wonderful teacher for the deaf and “mother” since I was born and grew up. She was my teacher and I thanked her for teaching me how to pronounce each c_? (I can’t think of how to spell that word) and vowel letters. Alas, I can feel that she looks over me from heaven and has a big smile. (June 26, 1924 - December 7, 1988, miss you very, very much, Mum)

That is one advantage of being a homeschool mom. My kids have never told me that their teacher did something better than I did!

I had a teacher that was prettier than my mom, but I wouldn’t tell her that.

Feb.5, 1920 - Nov.10, 2004

Hi all.

Wildmustang, the word you were looking for is consonants! As soon as I read your comment and that you couldn’t remember that word (or how to spell it) - I drew a blank, too, until I had thought about it for a bit!

To all who think Elly is a complainer, etc.: I never think Elly is complaining, exactly - I think Lynn is drawing the situation as it pops up for Elly, so it’s kind of her “point of view” of the scene that Lynn does such a good job of presenting. Old or new, I like the comic for what it is - a slice of the life of a busy housewife and mother, who is an intelligent, educated person. There is a lot of dry wit going on here. I think most of John’s seemingly chauvinistic comments are innocent and clueless - he has no idea he’s being chauvinistic. Would guess it only seems reasonable to him! :) Am guessing there are many, many men who do and say many of the same things John does. Therein lies the brunt of the joke, actually - if he didn’t say those things, there wouldn’t be any point to drawing that particular situation…. It is, I admit, a very feminine point of view! :)

Never had a teacher for competition, thank goodness. But I have had good relationships with all but one of the teachers for my 4 kids. That one was not in teaching because he loved kids - he was in it because it was a “respectable profession” and paid well, and you get school vacation off! I think I’ve always liked teachers because I have at least a half dozen people in my family on both my Mom’s side and my Dad’s side who were educators. In fact, there are still several educators in our family to this day!

Harsh beng demoted 0:)

aw elly they love you more don’t worryyyyy!!

Why is tyhe kid calling his teacher “Teacher”? Shouldnt he say “Mrs.” or “Mr.” somthing? Or if he doesnt remember the name, at least say “My teacher” or something. To me, that is just rude.