For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 31, 2012

Complete opposite of my mother and my uncle Thomas: he’s older than her, but still acts like a goof ball. I think the last two times Thomas showed his compassionate side to his younger sister was when she was diagnosed with cancer and then died from it.

Forever, Phil. I’m 51, and my two still-living younger brothers are 49 and 47, respectively — but they’re STILL my little brothers!

Yeah Sis, build a bridge and get over it.

I’m just shy of 48, my brothers are 37 and 42. And they are still my little brothers, even if they are both mostly grey. (Heh. Only my hairdresser knows… ;-)

Forever, dude. That’s the way it works.

My 3-years-younger brother always introduced me as his “older sister” even in our 50’s.

Sometime in our late 40’s, my only TWO-years-younger sister got quite petulant when a friend of hers, after meeting me, asked, “So… which of you is older?”

It never ends.

It was my dad’s funeral today – he was 95 and still talked about being the baby of his family.

I should be so lucky!

I love to introduce my sister who is 10 1/2 years older than me as “my older sister who looks younger than me” because she looks so glamorous – at 82.

Always!!! Live with it, and be happy she’s still there to keep you straight.

Yep…I have a sister who’s 5 and a half years older than me and still brings up stuff I did when I was 5. I’m 30 now!

I’m 52 and my soon-to-be 50 year-old brother will ALWAYS be my little bother!

Could be worse. Some sisters have memories so good, they remember things that didn’t even happen.

My “bother in law”(father in law) has 5 older sisters, 2 deceased, but in the 35 years I’ve known them, everyone always reminded the other about “the time when…” The key is remembering with amusement rather than angst. And quick aside, if he’s my bother in law, I’m probably the "son (of a…witch) in law. And that’s cool too. ;) If Phil doesn’t want to hear these things, it may be because HE’s feeling some guilt about childhood pranks he played…nahhhhhhh.Respectively,C.

You will be her little brother forever! Charged a nickol to watch her dress!? This is one of those times I am glad to be an only child!

I think i am lucky to have sister’s !!! 8^)

You only charged a nickel? Either this was when you were both too young for it to have been much of a show, or you really thought your sister qualified as a cheap entertainment. Yes, I realize this was originally back in the early 80’s, but still. Sorry, just had devil’s advocate.

To chime in on the sibling double standard, I was the 2nd of 4 and only son. I am certain I got my behind paddled with much greater frequency than my sisters. Let’s leave out the fact that my sisters we’re generally well-behaved and that I mostly likely deserved the corporal punishment.

How long will you be her baby brother? F o r e v e r ! ! !

My brother is two years younger and has been taller than me for over ten years..I can’t call him my “little brother”!!!

Yep.Older siblings suck.

Women never forget.

My 35 yo son was constantly abused by his 33 yo sister – they still act true to form She was a mean sister……..and still is

People are always saying you should get over it but ,some things that were done to you when you were young can still have a very bad impact on you when you are older. Like being bullied. You move on and maybe become a better person for it . But can still hurt from time to time.

@Barb Hinkins—so sorry.

Judging by her expression in panel 2, some of those things that happened must still hurt a bit.

HEY LYNN!!!!!!!!!There’s one Sunday strip where the family’s having a picnic, and Michael’s complaining about the bugs, and how there’s no perfect season. Winter’s too cold, spring’s too wet, summer has bugs – and when Ellie says that she’s always liked fall, Michael shrieks, “Are you kidding? That’s when we have to go back to SCHOOL!!!!!”The smile that idea puts on Ellie’s face has stayed with me for the past 30 years – any idea how close we are to seeing it again?

I’m surprised she let him live!

Right. Your older sister always drops the “tens” digit from your age. As far as she’s concerned, you’re not 33, but 3.

The thing to do is eliminate your older sister before you’re old enough to be held responsible.

I’m still the little sister even though I’m in my 50’s. Don’t mind that, it just when they try to run my life that I get a bit irked.

All your life, Phil. All your life. My little brother and I have a very good, loving relationship now, but he’s still my little brother. After all, he (and Phil) will never catch up.

Once a kid brother always a kid brother, says this first born of four! Them’s the breaks :-D

I’m 75 and I have relatives that are still mad about things I did in 1943 when I was only 6.

maybe there’s a difference between saying “younger” and saying “little”. They’ll always be your younger siblings, but not so little. (My scale would agree with this).

I’m the “baby” of the family at 61! :)

I’ve appreciated all the comments because the same is true in my family. My 11 years younger sister is still called my “baby sister”, even though she’s 42, I mean, 29. Sorry, princess.

How did April get in the picture? She hasn’t been born yet in this timeline?

33?! Hard working life?

Strange, I thought that Phil looked older.

I was really the baby in my family. My half-brothers were 20 and 18 when I was born. I was a second family to my parents. My brothers and I were close but they were overprotective of me. My one brother passed away two years ago. I stay in touch with the other one.

I had two sisters 11-1/2 years older (twins) that married young, so there was not much time for sibling rivalry.

Even twins argue over who is the oldest/youngest!

THIS STILL IS NOT GETTING THE PIANO MOVED!!!

This is SO my brother & me. I’m 63 & he’s 61. Yep. It’s still us!

Always, Phil. I still refer to my 60 yr old, 6’4" tall younger brother as my “kid” brother.

Thank you for all those kind thoughts and wishes. We can’t be too sad now that dad has gone to be with mum – who died on Boxing Day (Dec 26th). Mum was an only child and could never understand our arguments about “you get everything cos you’re the oldest” or the “everyone gives you things cos you’re the youngest”! She always said she’d wanted a brother or a sister and never took kindly to the muttered “you can have one of mine”!!