For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 07, 2010

We all tried to see what we could get away with. My little nephew asked if he could axe me a question, and I went parental on him. It turns out he knew perfectly well how to say ASK.

Gweedo, on half of my comics, when I hit the green, post comment button, I’m getting square download screens popping up, asking me to save my comment to my computer. It isn’t my comment that I’ll be downloading if I hit the buttons. And yes, it’s only on this site, and the download says it’s from this site. Maybe you’re using a different browser.

Paul Jones She’s right to correct him now so he knocks it off and doesn’t take it too far. He’s only testing her. If your kid lisped, would you correct it or wait until later when it was already habitual?

MrsLuke, Maybe it’s something in your setup or your browser and not this site. No one else seems to be having a problem.

Before you throw stones it’s best to make sure your own house is in order.

What browser are you using?

MrsLuke: Is it even possible to correct lisping??

tantebitte, yes it is. I teach at a school that trains physcal, occupational and speech therapists. The younger it’s caught, the easier it is to correct.

I agree with you Paul Jones. Michael looked panicked. If mine looked panicked I would hear them out, then I would see if I needed to correct their grammar after I heard the story. When we get upset/excited we all forget manners/grammar at times! I don’t notice perfect grammar from Mrs. Luke, so pot calls the kettle black….

Oh, how I know the feeling!!!!

I’d probably correct him the first time and let the rest go. Correct him when he’s less excited.

I did have a problem with a double posting on Cathy, but it doesn’t seem to be happening now.

I have Firefox also, and have had problems when I push the “post comment” button. I get the weird page, then when I get GoComics back, it seems the comment hasn’t been saved…hit the “post comment” button again, then it posts twice!

It only happens on GoComics, though; no problems posting on any other site…

As for Elly, I think she should have listened to what Mike had to say. Grammar lessons can be taught at any time…he’ll learn :-)

Did anyone notice that even Mike’s final statement is wrong. It’s either “I forgot” or “I’ve forgotten”. Kept up the bad grammar to the very end.

As a former English teacher, I admit to correction grammar, but did listen to what the children were trying to tell me. Bad grammar makes me wince to this day.

As a former English teacher, I admit to correction grammar, but did listen to what the children were trying to tell me. Bad grammar makes me wince to this day.

Both my parents had undergrad degrees in English, Doctorates in Psychology. Their offspring seldom got corrected in grammar. Do you think parental example might work? Wonder why I don’t swear either.

You have to catch the bad grammar as it happens, or the correction has less impact. But you also have to remember what the kid has said so far, so that if you throw him off, you can help him get back on topic: “Which guys? What did you and Lawrence see?”

I’ve forgotTEN.

Looks like controversy surrounds this strip on a daily basis. I sure miss it when I’m on the road. I didn’t even get to read MrsLuke’s deleted post on Wednesday.

In the first three panels Elly looks positively smug, and in the fourth she looks positively nurturing.

That smugness sends a bad message. “What you are saying is not important until you say it ‘right’.” “Don’t bother me until you know how to talk!”

If I were Mike, I’d feel more and more belittled for trying to get his mother’s attention.

Then all of a sudden Mom’s nice.

No wonder Mike is confused.

Lynn is showing us how easy it is for our good intentions to be sabotaged by our careless execution.

Neither kids or parents are perfect. That’s life.

Let him say what he has to say. Then correct the whole of it. That why he gets his thought across. Also he will remember the correction not the interuptions.

illusional.apathy said, about 3 hours ago

Did anyone notice that even Mike’s final statement is wrong. It’s either “I forgot” or “I’ve forgotten”. Kept up the bad grammar to the very end.

I already noticed it. You are right. Michael should say, “I forgot.” or “I’ve forgetten.”

It’s so funny that Michael became a published writer given this early “tutelage” from his mother. Mine did the same to me as a youngster and now I am also a professional writer. Note that professional in this context does not relate to internet posts or blogs either. I create and publish works for a number of corporate clients.

My brother’s kids used “me and …” all the time. I would say “I didn’t know … was so mean” and would always get (heavy sigh) “… and I” as a reply. We had fun with it, but now as adults they still say “me and …”.

In reality, you would correct your child’s grammar right off. In reality, he’d probably not make 3 (4) gaffes in a row. In reality, you’d also listen to what the child is really saying. In reality, you’d help him remember what he had forgotten. In reality, the situation would probably not have been funny.

(In reality, maybe some people should read War and Peace and not For Better Or For Worse.)

I’ve been having problems with the comics not showing up – just a green box, but when I hit on the options (add to collection or whatever) it shows the comic. Also had trouble posting and got the multiple posts. So, there probably are some issues with the site.

What Elly might have done is let him get it all out, take note of the situation and then correct the grammar. Nobody likes to be interrupted – even for grammar correction, but waiting too long diminishes the impact.

I know - the correct usage is ‘I have forgotten’, or ‘I forgot’. But, that grammar rule is MUCH more obscure than the first three grammar rules the kid broke.

What I’m trying to say - is that the first three mistakes are not only mistakes, but they are glaringly obvious mistakes. Nearly every adult American would be able to immediately identify the correct usage in those three cases - and as a result, make a judgement on the upbringing of the child in question.

The 4th mistake is much more likely to escape notice in common speech.

I’m running Firefox here and so far have had no problems such as described. Also, I don’t use AdBlock+ or NoScript. Unfortunately I have no suggestions to give.

Ellie illustrates perfectly the mistake of not knowing which issue has higher priority. When I was trying to say something, and I used bad grammar or mispronounced something, and someone in my family corrected me, I perceived it (and I still do) as a power struggle. That’s why Ellie looks so smug. “What you have to say isn’t important, compared to the fact that I am one-up on you - I know that you did something wrong.”

It was very upsetting at the time, because I didn’t understand what was going on. Now, I would be able to come back with a rejoinder to defend myself with - to show that I am not wrong, that what I want to say is more important than the grammar I use to say it with.

That yes, you’re trying to put me down, but now it just doesn’t work any more.

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! What a liberated feeling!

Once again, I make an innocuous comment, not even about the strip, and certainly not about anyone here, and the personal, insults and the MrsLuke bashing continues from the high and mighty hypocrites. Boy, who is it that has the real problem around here? You’re like petty little Gnats.

Can’t we all just get along ?? Relax…and enjoy.