For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 23, 2013

One man’s trash is another’s treasure.

eBay: costs more, but smells less.

Perhaps a little bit of reverse psychology is in order. AFTER Michael’s LONG bath is over, Ellie should spread out all his new found smelly treasures and say how happy she is with him for choosing them. From now on, she, too, will shop there for his next exciting special toy.

I bet she never throws out her kid’s stuff without their consent now.

Ew!

Long ago, my wife told our son of the day her mother decided to toss out her things when she was in school. We told him we’d never throw out his things without his permission. And never did. (If it was important to him, it was important to us.)

You deserve this, Ellie.

my daughters put all the stuff they want to throw out into a bag or box and then the children get to go through it and give her a good reason for keeping it. Of course there is always the one child that is obsessed with stuffed animals and the new rule is for every one new one you have to get rid of one or two equal in size to that one. For the most part the kids have no problem with getting rid of stuff.

Would be funny if the said stuff were very valuable

Junk/Treasure

SCA scrounging

Excursions to the dump were great! ‘They’ don’t let you do that anymore. ‘They’ take the fun out of everything.

works for me

Gordon’s dad and I would have to have a conversation

How kind of Gordon’s Dad to override another child’s parent’s decision.

If I were Elly, I might have to have a word with Gordon’s Dad.

If Michael’s parents violate his trust, maybe it IS time for other parents to get involved. Children aren’t property. Children have rights.

That could have been Michael’s point of view. A more likely explanation is that Gordon’s father was going to the dump to dispose of garbage, broken furniture, et cetera. It seems unlikely that Mr. Mayes was outraged over Elly getting rid of Michael’s junky toys that he would waste time at the dump.As for the video arcade, Gordon’s parents are not shown. The only mention of it was at the end of the storyline where Michael is thinking about Gordon’s parents. Gordon and Michael walk into the arcade by themselves. Gordon does not ask his parents “Mom and Dad, may I go?”