For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 09, 2014

And that’s how literal some kids are, but I’m still not sure they don’t just pretend to misunderstand.

As Hank says about Bobby, that boy ain’t right.

Haha!

He did as told… daddy oh needs to stuff the do not swear jar with wads of cash now.

That’s what you get for yellin and swearing ant your son :(

This one was a true LAUGH OUT LOUD!

When I was Mike’s age, I knew exactly what to do when raking leaves. Mike was deliberately being obtuse and obstinate so he wouldn’t be asked to work again. Look at the first panel where he is scared of being asked to work. He’s as easy to read as a Dr. Seuss book.

Do you REALLY think that’ll get you out of work, Mike?

Would serve Mike right, if John had him get all the leaves out of the car and back into the bag and then had a nice QUIET discussion with him concerning doing chores before sending him to his room to ponder his actions. This trip to his room would remain in effect after school for three days !

Not sure if Mike is plain dumb or play’n dumb!

That’s a whoopin’.

Mike has seen his father do this task at least 10 times before. He should know. Also, a modicum of thought would indicate you do not put loose tiny items in the car.

Michael isn’t autistic, like most children that age, he doesn’t want to do chores.

Cursing at your son for asking a perfectly intelligent question

I agree. John is suppose to set a good example. Kids repeat what their parents say.I supervise an accounting department and train people. If they don’t want to work or louse up the assignment on purpose I fire them.

if you have been a parent for as long as John has, he should know to say put the bags in the back of the car, or better still, why not say, HELP me rake these leaves and then there is NO misunderstanding.

There wasn’t anything in this comic that had to do with public school systems. This was a visual on the ineffectiveness of parental impatience.

Anyway, it made me laugh.

LOL

If your father doesn’t show you how to curse properly when you’re young and still developing, you’ll learn on the street and get it all wrong.

I thought they were still burning leaves back when this was drawn. But then, that would have had John trust Mike with fire — and after being yelling & cursed at for asking a simple question (even if he really did know the answer) would have been even more tragic.

by the time he found him to rake up the leaves he could’ve did it him self and please don’t cuss my ears are virgin and can’t take it.

That was Just Priceless…. Michael reacted perfectly and I was LOL>

Something almost every kid knows and parents forget; If you want to get to the parents, just take them absolutely literally.

“Great. Now put the leaves back in the bags, vacuum out the car, and put the bags of leaves back into the car, mister literal.”

It seems to me the critics and whiners are being as literal as Mike. Those who take it metaphorically get to enjoy the humor.

I am with you on this one. John got what was coming to him. I can understand his frustration with constant questions, but this was only the third one.Of course the next thing you would see is Mike cleaning out the car with a rosy red bottom.

That is an insult to autistic children. A stubborn, lazy child is not autistic.

SPOILER ALERT

Mike was never presented as “challenged” in any way other than stubbornness. He grew up to be a successful reporter, managing editor of a magazine and an author of at least 2 books.

Either the car is very short or Michael is very tall all of a sudden

Way to go, Mike! ;)

Oh look see — John yells at the kids too, just like Elly does — or is this just Lynn making men look bad again?

You do have a problem, duck.

I think his dad said put the bags in the back of the car, not empty the bags in the back of the car. Michael is 10 and old enough to figure out that it would not be wanted to have all of those leaves emptied in the car. Now he has to pick them up again.

I miss the good ol days when comics didn’t have swearing…