Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for July 07, 2014

To Calvin’s credit, he did ask politely.

Calvin all you ever do is play with a stuffed tiger please at least spend lots of time with your family a tv show you always have a cahnce to see your show maybe next time.

Calvin…“real life” doesn’t include TV…it only includes Hobbes and this comic strip… ;)

What, are you going to demonstrate said difference, Dad, really really ?

Wow. Bill Watterson made Calvin is so disrespectful to his parents in this strip. I see him being sent to his room again. What a bratty child.

This can easily be resolved. It’s called TIVO.

Yes, you primadonna scolds, Calvin is in fact a misbehaved six year-old. Congratulations.

Now that you’re done lecturing someone else’s fictional child, kindly pack away your judgmental self and let the rest of us enjoy the comic strip.

We never had this rule – let the kids finish and go do their thing instead of having to wait (even silently) while somebody else who maybe eats really slowly, finishes up. If the conversation at the table is interesting enough (yeah family time that works and the kids enjoy) they won’t leave anyway.

In an earlier day—before Calvin and Hobbes even— there were invented things called TV dinners. Spawned mini-industries like folding tray stands. You could eat together AND watch TV together. It’s surprising to people today; but TV dinners were culture changers.

Don’t know about other families, but we typically ate dinner before what is now called prime time. There wasn’t much worth watching on. Now something’s on all the time. Trash perhaps, but on.

or, you could watch a reality tv show about annoying families that you wouldn’t befriend because they are intolerable people.

VCRs were plentiful when this strip was published in 1990, but Calvin’s family didn’t own one.

Hunger is the best spice.

@packratjohnCalvin is polite in the first panel, only to have his request summarily rejected by his mother.

Mom should cook dinner either before or after prince Calvin’s show to avoid conflict with the perfect child. Or dad should do his thing.

Calvin may be a brat; but, I still love him, and of course, Hobbes.

One of my pet hates is when people channel surf ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.Seriously.xxx

Little scamp Calvin doesn’t want to finish his dinner – he would rather watch a program on television instead!

@bawana

bawana said:Where I grew up, you learned to eat slower because if you didn’t- you got to sit there and watch until EVERYONE was completely finished. If you suggested leaving, you got to go straight to your room with a severe belting across the backside. Sounds harsh, but it kept us in line quite nicely.-This explains a lot about you — use of physical to make a family spend time together.

@DutchUncleThis strip was originally run in 1990 when VCRs were ubiquitous. Taking into account Calvin’s Father’s opposition to material acquisitions, I wouldn’t be surprised if their house didn’t have one.

Yup, no better family time than forcing a 6 year old to sit at the table until everyone is done.

My mom was the most accommodating housewife (before the term became pejorative) and would cook dinner all late afternoon so that dad and all four kids could eat as soon as they arrived home, individually. Having all six family members at the table together was a Sunday event. Notably, my kid sister would join the later-arriving family for dinner again, but I’m not sure if it was for camaraderie or more food. She is still overweight to this day.

We had a TV in the kitchen/dining room. The viewing choice generally was had by the earlier/sole diner.

Re: VCRs…not only do we still have a working VCR machine, but also more than 100 VCR tapes. Haven’t watched any in several years as we have more DVDs than we know what to do with! =-O

Typical evening at my house when I was a kid.