For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston
- July 19, 2009
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About For Better or For Worse
Since its debut in 1979, For Better or For Worse has touched comic strip readers as few cartoons ever do. Cartoonist Lynn Johnston’s eye for detail and her uncanny sense of what real parents and children struggle with daily are a big part of her success. The world has watched the Patterson family grow up in real time, and to many readers, the Pattersons feel like family!
Parents and children alike will relate to the obstacles that the Patterson family faces. Curfews, parent date nights, babysitting, pets and distractions are all hurdles that the Pattersons must overcome in order to enjoy each other as a family. They face the same obstacles that real life families do, which is what makes them so loveable.
© 2009 Universal Press Syndicate - All Rights Reserved.
Comments (20) Jump to Comments Form
cleokaya
said,
3 months ago
I was always to selfish to have kids. I knew that I did not have the patience for this sort of thing.
ejcapulet
said,
3 months ago
John can survive half an hour with the kids - jeez!
SchmoozeMinkey said, 3 months ago
Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, she said a LONNNNNGGG walk.
Allan "Lest we Forget" said, 3 months ago
NIIIIICE one Elly! Smart move … a little “Alone” time :D
lightenup said, 3 months ago
Seriously, John. Your kids aren’t that bad where you can’t be left alone with them. They’re playing nicely and all is well. You just need to make sure that Michael doesn’t drown. Let your wife have her part of the vacation where she relaxes and does her thing.
kfaatz925 said, 3 months ago
Indeed, lightenup! It’s time for John to exercise the Dad Muscles. ;)
JoAnn Schatz said, 3 months ago
AWWWW COME ON JOHN I HAVE NEVER SEE SUCH WELL BEHAVE CHILDREN IN MY WHOLE LIFE I THANK IT IS ABOUT TIME ELLY GETS HER ALONE TIME DON’T YOU?
Wildmustang1262 said, 3 months ago
Boy, Michael keeps yelling his mommy to watch him all the time. Elly doesn’t need to get Michael’s attention all the time. Get a grip and play in the water at the beach. SIGHHHHHH!
Joanie
said,
3 months ago
Atta girl Elly….enjoy every step of your walk. Take a blanket with you and have a nice quite nap.
WyattMute said, 3 months ago
Umm….happy b-day cleo?
j/k ;)
bald 716 said, 3 months ago
nothing like a nice walk along the beach by yourself, it helps clear the clutter from my mind
JmcaRice said, 3 months ago
nice assets cleo !
lectrice said, 3 months ago
Wow, I’m sorry, but many of you guys are picking one parent over the other to support, which is usually poor, poor Elly. Both Elly and whiner John suck! Would it kill them to go play in the water with their kids?? When they’re all tired, they can sun themselves on the beach towel.
Also, would it kill Elly to acknowledge Michael, that yes, she is watching him? The way he is repeating ‘WATCH MEEE!!!’ implies that Elly isn’t really watching him.
This was a mean strip! The next panel should be Mike bawling his eyes out and John telling him to be quiet or they’ll go home!
Macushlalondra
said,
3 months ago
Well why should John get to sleep while she has to stay awake to watch Michael? Michael should be calling to daddy to watch him too. It irks me that mothers are stuck with everything while dad gets off scott free concerning the children’s care, no wonder many people consider Dad to be unneeded and the mother to be the more important parent. It’s about time fathers and mothers shared in the children’s care.
lectrice said, 3 months ago
I actually agree with you on that. Mothers and fathers should be sharing in childcare. That’s why I called John a whiner.
But I see both Elly and John refusing to do that here. They both want nothing to do with their kids, and then they wonder why their kids get in trouble or hurt. We never get to see Elly and John playing with their kids. I only remember one time that John did; in a fall strip when he chose to wrestle with Mike in a pile of leaves instead of yelling at Mike to get out like he was planning to. That was actually a cute strip.
Come on, they’re at the beach! Go play in the water as a family, the sand, etc. until Mike and Lizzie are worn out, then everyone can lounge around quietly and eat, then they can all go for a walk when the sun sets. At least, that’s what I did with my family.
Elly and John are acting more like a childless couple sitting on the beach here. I would be too nervous to let my kids out in the water alone like that, much less lounging around and napping! I remember being at Lake Michigan when I was…3 years old I think. I waded out as far as I could, and then I stepped over the drop off and was suddenly underwater. It didn’t become a bad experience because my father was right next to me and yanked me out a second later. What if Mike went under while Elly and John were sitting there like slugs? They’ll never be able to find him in time, not in that murky water.
jackofstories said, 3 months ago
What were you looking at? Ellie’s got her eyes locked straight on Michael the whole time while John’s napping. The only way she’s getting a break is leaving and forcing John to pay attention to his own kids.
kab2rb said, 3 months ago
Ellie’s is using the same technique Michael is using. Both parents could play in the water.
Comic-Nut said, 3 months ago
Every kid has or goes through the “Watch me” phrase. Sometimes these same ones as adults are the ones still craving attention in other forms.
MaxStarmanJones said, 3 months ago
And fifteen years from now she will be whining because Michael doesn’t give a rip whether she watches him or not. This strip is more whiney the second time around.
hildigunnur
said,
3 months ago
MaxStarman, I actually don’t see Elly whining in this strip at all. She’s watching the kids non-stop while hubby sleeps, now she’s telling John that it’s his turn - nicely even. John is the whiner this time round.