Grand Avenue by Mike Thompson for October 03, 2012

Since when do we ASK kids to do chores? I was never asked, I was told, do it or else. And I didn’t grow up with emotional scars blaming my parents for my failures…..

My rear end would be blistered if I answered like that!

Yes, my mother had 3 dish washers- me and my 2 sisters. She also had waiters/waitresess, busboys, and garbage men- 2 brothers. No tips.

Time for Kate to set some rules and some consequences for breaking the rules with out a really good reason. Setting the table, making my bed, helping with washing and drying dishes, and helping my mom with what ever else she required was just part of my growing up and I do not have emotional scares and still love my parents for the way they raised me and my sister and brothers because they taught us all to be responsible for what we do in this life and how to do the best we can.

Ditto! I was raised in my parents’ delicatessen store and was helping out (even cutting meats on the slicer!) when I was seven years old - right up to the time they sold the store because my mother was suffering from cancer - and I was then a college graduated professional, thirty years old and married. It was a wonderful experience that gave me many skills. I’m glad I had it!

Grandma, this girl needs more punishment than that. I do believe in spanking but if you don’t, take away everything she loves. I do have a son who says inappropriate things to me, he has adhd and is impulsive so I don’t spank him for everything (he’s also 13 now) but I do take away his beloved video game and tack on extra chores.

I agree with all the comments above! I mean, yeah, this is a comic strip with a punch line that’s funny, but – without over examining – this is part of our media which is telling us it’s okay for kids to be RUDE!

Agree with you all, but do like her solutions whenever she gets an attitude from the kids.

Ya know, you can raise respectful, helpful and wonderful children without spanking, I am. I love how that is always the first thing that is said should be done. Hitting solves what? Nothing. I was raised being spanked, not beaten and you know what, I do have emotional scars from it. My parents today even said they wish they had done it differently. Giving boundaries and consequences have nothing to do with spanking a child, its about discipline and consistency from when they are young. It’s funny, if your spouse spanked you for backtalk, it’s abuse but do it to your kid and it’s discipline.

Next your grandma would tell you to buy your own groceries.

When I turned 13, I asked my parents to change the way I get rewarded for chores. I asked to eliminate my weekly allowance and instead, they pay me a small fee for each individual chore. Setting the table was 75¢, for example. Larger jobs are $2 or $3. So doing chores was optional, but if I didn’t do any, I got no allowance. I was more motivated to do chores this way (even though I usually earned less money per week than I did before) and it worked for us for a year or so. So there’s more than one way to get kids to do chores.

I like the way Grandma handled this. She set a good example by being polite. Then when the child talked back, she had a witty comeback and then a clever way to teach them a lesson.Smart Grandma!

I know this is just a comic strip but, it does irritate me how Gabby thinks she shouldn’t do anything around the house. This is how kids learn to take care of their own homes and be organized when they finally leave.

I was my grandmother’s gofer. She said I had “young legs”. "Go get this, that, or other thing. NOW I know how she felt, and why she did it!

I’m waiting for my son to provide me with a gofer.