For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 22, 2014

Obviously, yes, you stupid kids!

My mom, of 3 boys, gave up trying to keep us clean. It took puberty, and girls, to inspire us.

Good one

I love the innocence of small children. They truly want to do the right thing.

Uh…Yeah. That would be a good idea.

Elizabeth learned that from her friend Calvin. When he was ordered into the bathtub Calvin said “I obey the letter of the law, if not the spirit”. Then when his mom shouted “Let us hear some water running!” Calvin said “Nuts!” to himself and got out of the tub with all of his clothes still on!

Like

She’s sure is raising clueless kids.

Note filthy hand on the door frame while Lizzie asks the obvious question. That’s what Elly gets for making a “vague” request. (it’s the same way my kids thought, the diabolical little …..)

This is a gag in a comic strip that Lynn thought was funny.

You can lead three horses to water, but you can’t make them think.

Anything to get out of washing hands…but, Wait! Children of that age are very in the moment, and literal. So, yes, Elizabeth took her Mom’s directive quite literally…and waited for her Mom to say they should wash their hands, too… ;)

Duh no I just told your to go to the bathroom for the fun of it.

Anyway, today’s punch line depends on spreading more prints and still not washing hands.

I remember one FBorFW strip, because it is taped to my fridge: and in it Ellie is calling Lizzie to come in, in the evening, and Lizzie is waiting until the last panel and says to herself: I’ll wait until she really means it. I just knew exactly what Lynn meant with that strip, since I’ve raised three kids myself, and frequently I got the answer that went something like that or “I didn’t know you meant it for real”…. Today’s is in the same vein: the kids know what she means, but are stalling.

Oh, about that towel: not only the kids but grownups also. I don’t use light colored towels in the guest bathroom, when guests come over, I put out a stack of darkish ones: red, brown, black, etc. and then leave one crumpled in a basket on the toilet tank, just to show them that once they use up one, they should throw it in there. Some people really don’t know how to wash hands, that’s all I can say about that.

I’m glad today’s strip proved me wrong about what I said in yesterday’s strip. I need to keep that more in mind. However, I am not an Elly hater. I took into regard the myriad of messes the kids made behind Elly’s back and thought that “Kids + Mud = Uh-oh!” would’ve been instinctual to her at this point, though that would kill the comic’s punchline. That’s how my mom raised me. She was a teacher who worked with hundreds of little kids every year and got very good at knowing the habits of kids, good and bad. She insisted on a clean house with minimal mess and always took time out of her busy schedule to check on me and my friends as soon as we got in from playing outside. She made us take off our shoes and jackets then had us march to the bathroom to wash our hands, and she spelled it out clearly so there were no excuses. Those of us with dirt on our faces had them wiped with damp paper towels. She didn’t bring hot water and soap to us, and I never dared to think of her as a servant let alone refer to her as such. I’m grateful for what she had me do because she ingrained it into a healthy habit and it built a sense of trust.

“If the order is not clear, it is the fault of the General if the troops do not obey.” From The Art Of War by Sun Tzu