For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 04, 2011

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    pouncingtiger  almost 13 years ago

    A mother’s work is never done.

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    wendy adamek Premium Member almost 13 years ago

    Chill Elly, she’ll be gone before you know it.

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    jimgamer  almost 13 years ago

    She goes by the book ???

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    tripwire45  almost 13 years ago

    Child expert books. Sheesh. The kid just wants to cuddle. Be glad. By the time she hits her teens, she won’t want anything to do with you, Mom.

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    Wendy B.  almost 13 years ago

    Time for a little discipline…bad behaviour that you don’t deal with when they are young will last a lifetime, not good. When they become adults, it’s too late to fix. And yeah, it is bad behaviour when you fail to teach your child the importance of obeying their parents.

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    dfowensby  almost 13 years ago

    our prisons are full of bad-parenting products.

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    summerdog86  almost 13 years ago

    From my experience, you had better enjoy those moments that your children want to be close to you. They grow up awfully fast, and they grow away from you with children of their own that want “up”.

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    dtegtmeier51  almost 13 years ago

    These are Lynn’s Notes on this strip:

    “Here is where my folks differed a great deal; my dad was always up for a hug, Mom was not. She needed her space and didn’t appreciate being interrupted when she was in the middle of something – even for a bit of cuddling. She was always very busy. Life wasn’t easy for the moms of the 50’s. We had no car. We had a wringer washer, a leaky icebox, and a gas stove that required an engineering degree to operate. She made bread regularly and most of our clothing. She canned fruit, grew a veg and flower garden, and did all the paper work for the family and the business. She shopped and cooked and cleaned and took care of two active kids, so when she did get a few minutes to herself, she wanted to be left alone – Please!

    She had endless patience. She could do or fix or make just about anything. She was an artist and a writer and she should have gone to university – except that her father didn’t believe in educating women! To him, it was a waste of money and time. Mom was an amazing person. We respected and admired her. She worked so hard. She gave and did so much… but, it was our dad who supplied the affection. "

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    NEMO1967  almost 13 years ago

    AHAHAHA,CUZ LIZZY IS BRAT!

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    gobblingup Premium Member almost 13 years ago

    I think some of you missed the panel where Elly did have Lizzy on her lap. But some things can’t be done with a squirming child and she promised Lizzy more when she finished what she was doing. I do agree with the posters who say that this will be over soon enough, which is why I constantly am hugging and kissing and doing things with my kids. But occasionally there are important things that I need to do right then, and kids need to learn about patience and respecting what an adult says and that they are not #1 every time they demand it.

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    geniidacker  almost 13 years ago

    the cling-on stage just before independence starts,normal

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    thebigp  almost 13 years ago

    A TYPEWRITER??? Poor gal.

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    lemon868  almost 13 years ago

    Lynn’s notes add a lot to understanding of this strip, thanks to The Mom for adding them here. I think people younger than 50 have a hard time getting it when it comes to these difficulties, unless they grew up in unusual circumstances.

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    mroy1160 Premium Member almost 13 years ago

    Send Lizzy to her room like my Mom did and when she’s ready give her all the love and attention she craves. (hopefully she’ll cry herself to sleep…Kind of like I use to do)

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    masnadies  almost 13 years ago

    Right htere with lightenup. If the child wants to be on your lap and hug and play, that’s great for half an hour. Mine could do it all day. Seriously, yesterday I was sick and I had a child on my lap (at least 1 or 2 of the 3) all but about 1/2 hour from 7 till 5. Then we have a mess, no food, etc. Love them, hug them (as she does) but they have to learn that other things do need to get done.

    As they grow, it’s easy to forget how much they can demand of your time and attention! But also how sweet they are.

    It’s a balancing act. Like pretty much all of life seems to be so far

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    astar15  almost 13 years ago

    Elly probably didn’t get enough attention when she was a little girl.

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