Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for June 15, 2011

“Or”?!?

Might just be me but I find Toni and Brad talking about her brother in front of his daughter to be…not such a bright thing.

Yesterday, Shannon did the job she was given with a surprising lack of fuss. And rewarding her with a firefighter hat worked like a charm. Yeah, Brad is going to make a great uncle, and probably a great dad.

Look how happy Shannon is in that helmet Brad gave her, playing firefighter fantasies! She is, I believe, so caught up in her own play-world that she blocks out the words that wash over her without registering. So, no harm done, IMO.

I see that some readers are concerned that Brad and Toni are talking about Shannon’s dad around her…She looks to be around 3 – 5….to her, her father is “dad.” She probably hasn’t associated “Jonah” and “my brother” or “your brother” as her dad yet which may be why they are talking about him around her, but they might want to drop this habit because when she is older, she will come to understand that her dad has a name and that he is her aunt’s brother.

Are we seeing a lead in to Toni finally admitting that the past is past and she and Brad are a genuine item? Is there a ring in the future? How will Nancy take it?

Nancy is Brad’s mother and Nancy had given Toni the freeze treatment at times – especially Thanksgiving 2009. Seems to have largely related to the earlier Dirk/Toni relationship and involved Toni’s continuing association with Dirk, even though that was not Toni’s doing. Several times since then they seem to have made progress, though we still wonder if Nancy accepts Toni, because Nancy IS quite protective of Brad. There may have even been some forgiveness of Dirk due to his helpfulness in lifting the bookcase off her when she was trapped under it several months ago. It’s just another of the loose ends that Greg can use in advancing his life experiences of Luann and her family/friends.

Ladyfingers, I forgot to address my Nancy comment to you – just carelessness on my part.

Well said,Wiselad

Cutting down? ‘Some people are just that way’ is cutting someone down?

I agree ladyfingers86: Brad + Toni = Happy Married couple + Adopt Shannon = Very Happy Family!

It looks as if Brad has what it takes to be a good father: http://www.smartmoney.com/article/SB10001424052702304665904576383464255980534.html

Kids definitely hear everything that is said and they understand a lot more than you think. Yes, they misinterpret some things, but they do hear what is being said. For example, my neighbor’s Kindergarten child told my daughter that the reason they don’t go to our neighborhood pool is because the other neighbors think that they’re mean and don’t want them to join. The real story is that this particular neighbor is not officially in our neighborhood and we have no policy about allowing non-residents to join our pool. But the little girl picked up on the fact that her parents are having problems with some other neighbors and she put things together in her own way. It was very awkward to try and explain to my child why the other child might have said this and what the real story was. I personally wish that the other child’s parents would either discuss adult things when the children are not around or they need to clearly explain to their kids what’s going on in language that they understand.

Sisyphos, are you kidding me? Haven’t you heard the saying “Little pitchers have big ears”? Kids that age hear and see EVERYTHING! And yes, Bill the Butcher, they will blurt it out, at the MOST inopportune time, lol…

Notice, however, that most of the NEGATIVE talk about Shannon’s dad is from Toni, not Brad. That is VERY smart of Brad, and is wise for anyone dealing with real or potential in-laws.

Anybody know what wiselad said? The post is gone…

It is nice to see that smile on Shannon. She craves status and recognition. — Brad is to her a great guy anyway. That smile is worth a hundred dollars.

You hardly EVER see Shannon smile. It’s great that Greg has created something to bring happiness to her apparently bleak life. Relating to the discussion about she and her father, and whether she hears and understands, there’s NO DOUBT in my mind that hearing those things has been a contributing cause to her scowling, confrontational manner whenever she makes an appearance. It takes a lot to counter these experiences, but Brad, TJ, and Luann seem to have had some success.

Brad’s final comment sounds like he has a higher degree of confidence than he use to have. It probably indicates they have had some serious talks about their realtionship and Toni is more ready to commit than she used to be. Some things happen off-screen.

and Toni probably answers with “both, of course”

@ladyfingers, sorry I skip over your comments as the animated avatars really bother my poor eyes. I’d really, really appreciate it if you’d go back to stationary ones.

I feel the need to say that, regardless of anything relating to this comic strip, 3-5 year-olds know perfectly well that their parents have names. I work at a preschool and have had many conversations with the children about their parent’s names. This is not for or against what Toni and Brad are talking about, but I felt the need to defend children’s intelligence.

I want to know what Brad “Really” looks like. We are seeing him thu Luann’s eyes, Come on, let us see the REAL BRAD

I really like this ark. It shows a strengthening relationship.

Oh, and people really do talk like that around kids…besides, give Shannon credit. She knows her dad handed her off to Toni. I agree with Starlight. She knows exactly what’s going on. Hiding it or whispering about it is, quite frankly, the worst thing you could do around a kid Shannon’s age. Her interactions with Brad show a desire to be talked to truthfully. That’s why he can playfully call her a brat. She knows he’s joking, but she also knows it’s true. Shanon has become my favorite character…

Yes! Why not both firefighting and each other!

Toni is simply discouraged with her brother.

You infer it. It doesn’t imply anything of the sort that I can see: he’s using the simple present, not making any predictions.

hi

cats are;-);-)÷ drunkbhhn