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1. 

   Paul Jones said, 27 days ago

   Sadly, Elly IS being consistent today: consistently bad. It would have been the sane thing to do to promise the kids a treat if they behaved from the get-go, not be worn down to it. Failing that, she could at least shop when Mike’s in school and avoid the issue.

2. 

   ComicDetectiveDA said, 27 days ago

   Judging by the older strips, “No” must have been Lizzie and Elly’s favorite word.

3. 

   somebodyshort said, 27 days ago

   “no” is one of the first words a child learns, wonder why

4. 

   Wolfdreamer250 said, 27 days ago

   Oh my gosh, I have seen the greatest news about FBOFW. Lynn Johnston is legally allowing people to write Fan Fiction. According to her website, she is going to accept fan fiction writing at fanfiction.net This is huge because as little as five years ago she was threataning to sue people who wanted to write fan fiction about her characters. So if anyone is interested in writing for enjoyment about the Patterson clan, now is the time to do it.

   http://www.fborfw.com/features/fanfic/

5. 

   howtheduck said, 27 days ago

   Today’s strip is certainly true-to-life. I am sure everyone has seen a mom screaming at her kids in the grocery store before. The situation makes everyone in ear shot unpleasant and uncomfortable. I am not sure why this reprint was supposed to be funny.

6. 

   Just plain Steve said, 27 days ago

   It’s supposed to be true-to-life first and funny second. Sounds like you understood the cartoon perfectly.

7. 

   ailenne said, 27 days ago

   omg,, I need 8-10 pagEs……..

8. 

   ejcapulet said, 27 days ago

   Mine has learned that “no” means “no” and if she nags me, “no” can turn into “no going to the park until you can behave yourself in public”.

9. 

   TheSkulker said, 27 days ago

   ejcapulet said
   Mine has learned that “no” means “no” and if she nags me, “no” can turn into “no going to the park until you can behave yourself in public”

   Exactly. And Michael has learned that if he begs long enough Elly will always give in. Kids are extremely aware of how well or not an adult will adhere to an edict. Especially when there is no cost to the incessant wheedling. So you really got it right ejcapulet.

   Unfortunately, the giving in is what usually happens in real life. And this “life lesson” behavior shows up throughout life.

10. 

    debrakay56 said, 27 days ago

    Oh boy does this take me back to when my lot were little. I practised no meaning no, but that doesn’t stop the ‘incessant wheedling’ as you say. Now they are money earners themselves with part time jobs, it’s interesting to watch them control their spending. It’s a different story depending on whose wallet is being emptied.

11. 

    Lewreader said, 27 days ago

    “If you don’t stop this instant, I’m never taking you out again.”Silence. Of course I knew they meant it

12. 

    Macushlalondra said, 27 days ago

    Definitely shop when MIchael’s in school. But if you can’t put something he wants in the cart at the beginning. Tell him if he behaves all the way through he will get it. If he acts up you will put it back and stick to your guns.

13. 

    Doctor Toon said, 27 days ago

    Shortly after I married my 2nd wife we were out shopping with my son (from my 1st marriage).
    He was nagging for a toy and we were both firm with NO
    Then he looks at her with big sad eyes and says “Please mommy”
    Our hearts melted, we caved, toy bought.
    How do they learn so young?

14. 

    PNmom06 said, 27 days ago

    We need to go back to “mean” parents - parents who MEAN what they say, the FIRST time!! XD

15. 

    pibfan868 said, 27 days ago

    My parents had a different strategy–as soon as we started, they took us out of the store altogether. If we then couldn’t straighten up our behavior, we either got a few firm spanks on our clothed behinds, or we went home. It really only took once, then it didn’t happen again. The younger kids just heard the story and that was enough!

16. 

    marionls said, 27 days ago

    Two days ago, my comics page was much much better
    than now!!!!

17. 

    lightenup said, 27 days ago

    Now that my oldest is 6, she gets an allowance. So whenever I get the “I waaaant this”, she either has to buy it with her own money or it goes on the Christmas/birthday list. (Her allowance has to be split between “spend”, “save” and “donate” so it takes a while to get what she wants sometimes.)

18. 

    MermaidStitcher said, 27 days ago

    As My Grand-daughter has learned . It doesn’t matter if she is with me or her Mom. There are corners in all stores. If she acts up she will be standing in the corner. Doesn’t happen that often. She is pretty good.

19. 

    summerdog said, 27 days ago

    Wolfdreamer, that is really big news. Thanks!

20. 

    Dypak said, 27 days ago

    Never bargain with them, they’re good because they’re supposed to be good. Not because you’ve made a contract. Once you’ve made a contract with a child they can just decide that being good wasnt worth it. They already know you probably won’t punish them anyway. Time out? Big deal. No kid is ever going to say, “Man, when I was a kid we had to be good or my Momma would put us in time out!”

    And once you’ve said no the only time to ever change your mind is when you were wrong in the first place. It’s not a matter of who wins or loses. You’re the parent and that means you’re the one with the responsibility of being the teacher. Teach those lessons right when they’re young and you’ll thank yourself when they’re in high school

21. 

    Sheila said, 27 days ago

    When the oldest was a tyke (She’s 14 now) no meant NO. When the 2nd came, no was NO. When the 3rd came no meant “If you guys can behave for the rest of the time in the store… When 4 and 5 came (Twins) no meant, well, maybe… OK just stop the chorus of 5!!!

22. 

    BlondLionS said, 27 days ago

    When mine were small and I had to take them grocery shopping I’d take them to the produce aisle and let them pick out any piece of fruit they wanted…so they’d look all over…find the biggest/nicest piece they could…they never bugged me about the candy…

23. 

    Burgundy2 said, 27 days ago

    When I was little (did they have stores back then, you ask…) my mom had me and my brothers well trained. We knew that the only treat we were going to get when grocery shopping was a penny for bubble gum from the machine.

    And we only got that penny if we did NOT ask for anything, and were quiet and helpful while she shopped.

    She said those pennies were the cheapest insurance she ever bought.

24. 

    JanCinVV said, 27 days ago

    When my Mike was about 6, we took him to the store and he acted like a little beggar. We warned him once and when he didn’t stop, his Dad took him out to the car, strapped him into his car seat and left him there. He stayed out of Mike’s visual range and waited for me to finish shopping. Mike never misbehaved in the supermarket again.

    I remember another time when Mike was young enough to sit in the cart seat I told him firmly as we were starting our shopping to sit still, and don’t beg. A few minutes later a lady who had watched me complimented me on being firm with Mike and commented on how many kids were allowed to get away with any kind of behavior. That was roughly 30 years ago. These days, I go into WinCo and watch kids digging in the bulk flour bins with their hands or stealing candy and the parents look the other way.

25. 

    ireg said, 27 days ago

    I have taken many children shopping with me. We have a game we play. If they are so well behaved that someone compliments me on their behavior they get a reward.

    It is fun to have people come up and compliment me on the behavior of the 4-7 kids I have with me. This I want to reward.

26. 

    mroberts88 said, 27 days ago

    Y’know, a little discipline goes a long way in preventing that.

27. 

    Susan001 said, 27 days ago

    It’s nothing short of a miracle that Mike and Lizzie grew up to be such worthy individuals, considering the type of mothering they experienced.
    Of course, they did have other–and better–role models in their lives.

    I just don’t like Elly!

28. 

    Gweedo Murray said, 27 days ago

    Elly is such a bee-otch !

29. 

    snakemama said, 27 days ago

    If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Michael knows those puppy eyes will get his mother every time.

30. 

    AndiJ said, 27 days ago

    I can’t stand the parents that let their kids treat the store like a playground….Running around, screaming and climbing on things! >:( We did not do this as kids and we certainly did not ask for anything either! This was in “Elly’s day” too.

31. 

    kab2rb said, 26 days ago

    Most recently at a store a yong mother was trying to calm her little girl down, her daughter was crying up a storm and had something in her hand the mom couldn’t calm her down. It just so happened the mom pulled her cart behind ours and when we where finished the little girl was screaming /crying so I as a older mom turned around and got to the little girls level, who at the time was in the shopping cart and distracted her in a very nice way speaking simple terms. The little girl stopped crying and the cashier was able to do her job while I spoke nicely to the little girl the mom was amazed and wanted me to go with them. It wound up being a quite event. I do not do this all the time but it was nice helping this young mom out and let the little girl forgot her problems and no one got hurt. I told my daughter who was there the little girt was so surprise wander who that crazy old woman was but at least she got distracted.

32. 

    OpenWings said, 25 days ago

    Wow kab2rb what a lovely thing you did, you must have seemed a godsend to that young mother! And I’m sure you didn’t appear to be a crazy old woman or the little girl probably would have screamed more and much louder! lol :o)