For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston
- August 30, 2009
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The Flying McCoys by Glenn and Gary McCoy
For Heaven's Sake by Mike Morgan
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 (43) Jump to Comments Form
cleokaya
said,
2 months ago
Michael is turning into one little jealous brat.
ejcapulet
said,
2 months ago
I never could stand Michael. Maybe it’s because I was born the same year as Lizzy (the first time).
Comic-Nut said, 2 months ago
It’s the nature of all siblings.
LOL
I can remember me torturing my older brother too.
Now I see my grandkids going at it. LOL
Macushlalondra
said,
2 months ago
This is so my brother Ronny and me when we were little. He’s two years older.
Allan Claus said, 2 months ago
My sisb** did that to me, and I in turn did it to the bratty younger brother… as Comic-Nut said - it’s the nature of siblings. When you can start to read, you receive “The book of being an _ sibling” (blank is either older, middle or younger)… LOL
masnadies said, 2 months ago
My son does that on his bad days. In fact, I think there are days when everything on that panel happened, in that order.
TheGiantBrain said, 2 months ago
Way to psychologically abuse your son John.
kfaatz925 said, 2 months ago
I love John’s “face of doom” in the third-to-last panel. Sometimes I’ve been sorry to be an only, but this is a reminder of what I missed out on (both sides!)
legaleagle48 said, 2 months ago
No, psychological abuse is what Michael was doing to Elizabeth. Simply giving Michael a time-out doesn’t even begin to compare.
And it goes back to what I said the other day about how Michael has to accept from within that his behavior is inappropriate. Sure, siblings tease one another; as others have said, it’s just the nature of the relationship (and yes, I do believe that Michael is jealous of the baby who can get away with pretty much anything because she’s a cute girl), but we eventually grow out of it once we realize just why it’s inappropriate and unworthy of us. Michael’s comment in the last panel shows that he still just doesn’t get it.
gbwooden
said,
2 months ago
I suspect that Michael DOES get it, and was trying to avoid punishment on a technicality. However, in his defense, he might not truly have known that his parents could punish him on a “judgement” call. He didn’t know the full extent of his “restraint order”.
Yukoneric said, 2 months ago
Abuse is abuse is abuse.
FishStix said, 2 months ago
Abuse! ABUSE?! The word abuse is being abused by those who don’t have a clue what abuse really is!
pearlandpeach said, 2 months ago
my brother never seem to know when to stop… so when parents stopped him….his fury was always over the top…he never ‘got it”. until he was about 16 or so….
Devonshade
said,
2 months ago
Bring back the paddle.
Ji2m said, 2 months ago
Amen FishStix…
bogeydog said, 2 months ago
I have to agree….
there is no “abuse” here.
Kid’s will be kids. and sibling rivalvary will exist.
CHILL OUT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!
It’s a toon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Allen Doty said, 2 months ago
When a person is being a bully, like Mike was in this repeat of the strip, he is abusing someone.
Mike might not have physically touched Lizzie; but, he hurt her emotionally.
In my family the only sibling rivalry that existed was between my older brother and sister. They were 2 years and one year older me and then there was the sister that was 4 years younger than me and a brother 7 1/2 years younger than me.
When my older siblings were 12 and 13, on rare occasion Mom and Dad left all of us at home and merely expected us to behave as if they were there.
Well, while Lewis and Edna argued over who was going to be in charge after our parents left, Ruthie, Sam and I would go somewhere else and play. But, they didn’t argue very long and they never actually bossed us.
ninmas said, 2 months ago
i always tortured my sister, but never this bad……
thestargazer1682 said, 2 months ago
See, when my little sister was real little, she’d pinch herself and start crying and I’d get yelled at. This happened like 2 or 3 times before my parents saw her do it, while I was in another room.
GrinsToYa said, 2 months ago
My older brother may have teased me and at times it felt like torture… but heaven help the other kids in the neighborhood if my brother saw them teasing me.
summerdog said, 2 months ago
Mike has a bit of a comb over on his bald spot in the first panel. It goes well with his calculating, evil eye look.
Nelly55 said, 2 months ago
I had three older sisters, and two of them would do a whole lot more than Michael.
One still apologizes for the way she used to wail on me and she’s almost 60!
and I turned out just fine
Susan001 said, 2 months ago
I read this strip for decades, and Mike’s bullying of Liz didn’t end until he went away to college.
I’ll never forget one Sunday strip when Mike came home on school break with long hair, a ‘stache, and a goatee. Liz quietly asked questions about his new appearance, which he answered proudly. It was Elly who greeted him with a shriek of horror!
Anyone else remember?
kittylover2 said, 2 months ago
My older brother (18 months) was so rotten, he grabbed me when I was about 6 an put me in clothes hamper. Then sat on the top and read comics books. I was scared to death. Mom and Dad were not there at the time. I am almost 70 now and we still don’t get along. Thank God he lives on the other side of the country!!!
Tigger
said,
2 months ago
I grew up with 5 Siblings. We were farily well Stair-Stepped. There was a 10 year Differnece between My Eldest Sis and my Yonger Brother and Sis (Twins)
We sat Girls on one side Boys on other side of Table.
Yes, we would gross one another out by showing our chewed up food.
Yes, They split Birht Order:
Girl-Girl-Boy-Me-Boy-Girl
ireg said, 2 months ago
I grew up with seven siblings. The older two tormented me and then later turned their torment on the younger kids. I was again the target when I would step between and tell the younger ones to run. Eventually the oldest one seemed to outgrow it or had better things to do.
We are all still close—some closer than others but we all get along and spend time together with all of our kids and grandkids.
comixavier said, 2 months ago
No “buts”, Michael.
Still, when are going to see Michael about to have speech balloon where he nicknames Elizabeth “Lizard-breath”?
snakemama said, 2 months ago
My sister and I would tease each other horribly until we finally grew up and moved out of the parental house. Oddly enough, my sister (younger than I by 2 yrs and 4 months) was the one who instigated the teasing more often than not. Teasing is in the nature of the sibling relationship, Mike and Liz will have a long time to wait before their relationship resembles “normal”.
Ronshua
said,
2 months ago
“Lizard-breath”got the short-end even after adulthood . This miss directed love is the great paradox & mystery of humankind .
Abuse & Abuser is established by the end of the stick .
OpenWings said, 2 months ago
@summerdog
I thought I was the only one who had noticed that, lol
yyyguy
said,
2 months ago
my sister’s youngest daughter was the “baby” of our extended family until my sister-in-law had her little girl. even though the baby seemed to adore her, the jealousy at no longer being youngest lasted years. (and, even though the “baby” is turning 13 while the next youngest is almost 19, i’m not sure it’s completely gone even now.)
BlitzMcD said, 2 months ago
You are absolutely right, Devonshade. Bring back the paddle! Obviously the pop psychology approach didn’t work (gee, what a surprise).
And good grief, nobody is talking about beating the kid into oblivion. LIGHTEN UP!!!! But a couple of judiciously administered swats will definitely be a reminder that does the job much better than “time out” (and who invented that ridiculous concept, anyway?).
Looks like dad here is one step away from doing just that, anyhow……
ComicDetectiveDA said, 2 months ago
Well…he DIDN’T exactly touch her…
stop gap said, 2 months ago
Oh, brother with the abuse. You either have no children or were an only child yourself. This is sibling stuff, pure and simple.
legaleagle48 said, 2 months ago
BlitzMcD wrote:
You are absolutely right, Devonshade. Bring back the paddle! Obviously the pop psychology approach didn’t work (gee, what a surprise).
And good grief, nobody is talking about beating the kid into oblivion. LIGHTEN UP!!!! But a couple of judiciously administered swats will definitely be a reminder that does the job much better than “time out” (and who invented that ridiculous concept, anyway?)
I don’t care, BlitzMcD. It is never – and I mean, NEVER – OK to hit a child, no matter what the reason and no matter where the blow lands. If you wouldn’t do that to an adult (who at least can arguably fight back in self-defense), why in hell would you ever do that to a child (who can’t and wouldn’t)? Just because you’re bigger and because you can, and because “the end justifies the means”? That’s not good enough!
God help any children that you may have, because He’s the only one who could. Frankly, if I caught you paddling one of your kids, we’d have an impromptu intervention, and it wouldn’t be pretty, I can assure you!
elikelp said, 2 months ago
I got me one a those….
In fact that kind of provocative behavior is very common among siblings.
Psychological abuse is the kind of grandiose psychobabble the childless pseudo-professional class will apply to normal healthy children who are sorting themselves out and looking for limits.
Good job, fictional dad; realistic comeback fictional Mike.
Wildmustang1262 said, 2 months ago
Oh Michael, you are naughty brat!
MisngNOLA
said,
2 months ago
LegalEagle, you raise your kids your way, and we’ll raise ours to be productive members of society. My 3 year old granddaughter already knows that “time-out” is not any kind of deterrent to her misbehavior, but a quick swat gets desired results.
kab2rb said, 2 months ago
I gave my sister who is younger problems. She would give it back. Mom would sometimes use a switch. Now I’m a parent I have two what would work for one something else would work fo the other. We all survived.
BlitzMcD said, 2 months ago
Thank you MisngNOLA for being the voice of reason. Again, I could not have said it better. “Productive members of society” indeed. And yes a “quick swat” (rather than beating the daylights out of the kid; BIG difference, as you are obviously aware). Brilliant!
You know, those who continue to harbor and hold grudges over their unresolved issues from childhood need a lot more help than they’re going to get from a discussion board for a comic strip. But somehow it doesn’t seem to deter them from being belligerent and confrontational with total strangers in such a format, does it?
Anyway, thanks again MisngNOLA. Look forward to your thoughtful and insightful posts in days to come!
kattbailey said, 2 months ago
Hmm, never hit in my life. Neither were any of my close friends.
Not a day in detention, not one of us finished high school with less than a B average. We all went to college and the only one not working in a profession- usually a helping one- is me. I’m disabled.
And a lot of folks we knew, knew they were facing physical punishment at home for what they did but didn’t care. They weren’t doing as well either.
And no, it wasn’t what a lot of you are saying isn’t abuse. It was a good spanking. I time out makes you think, get in control of yourself. If you have to be quiet for 5 minutes you learn 5 minutes of self-control. That adds up.
A swat lasts a second, the pain goes quickly- if you feel it a half hour later it’s not a swat. Loosing your allowance, watching your friends and siblings have fun without you for a week, etc means you think about it when you can’t buy the thing that’s normally nothing or are sitting in your room.
In prisons it’s the length of time that gets the hard-core ones. The pain from fights is nothing- it heals and planning revenge fills up the time it takes. A lot of them were spanked.
You’re thinking of the parents who don’t bother to explain that things are inappropriate and expect the child to do better. Next time the time-out can be longer, the TV banned, dessert taken away- there will be consequences again, and the parents more disappointed.
Never hit. And no, my friends didn’t all naturally do well in school and did have rough patches. But we were taught to control ourselves, not to accept a 5 minute punishment that in this case is ironic- if he had touched her it’d be the same sentence!- that has no consequence that matters later!
Hkenmar said, 2 months ago
That very thinghappens here with the grandkids. He is 10 she is 4 and he makes her screem by just looking at her.
Huey
newworldmozart said, 2 months ago
legaleagal48, it’s because of your mamby pamby attitude that has ruined this country. Parents are afraid of even say anything to their misbeaheaving child because they are afraid someone is going to yell abuse. Yes it is ok to swat and spank. Spanking is not hitting. Hitting is an uncontrolled act meant to phyically hurt someone. Spanking is a controlled act to disicpline a child. You are right it is never right to hit a child, as with an adult. But children are not adults and don’t understand the idea of consenquences. You have to teach them and then punish them for for not obeying. And yes if an adult acts like Michael is acting maybe spanking them would make them act better.