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.
© Lynn Johnston Productions, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
Foolish Mortals by Tom Horacek
For Heaven's Sake by Mike Morgan
Comments (31) (Please sign in to comment)
legaleagle48 said, 9 months ago
And when would he have had the chance to do that, Elly? You kept telling him not to interrupt you.
Nabuquduriuzhur said, 9 months ago
Nothing like ignoring someone with something to say…
Nabuquduriuzhur said, 9 months ago
It’s always troubled me about this comic how hypocritical that Ellie often is. Not everyone had a mother who was a jerk to everyone around her.
briatollah said, 9 months ago
Can’t get an edge in wordwise.
JoanHelen said, 8 months ago
@Nabuquduriuzhur
I agree that Ellie is sometimes hypocritical but Lynn Johnston is basically portraying herself as a mother so therefore she is aware of her faults. That’s the way I interpret it anyway. And from what I have read on her Blog that does seem to be the case, certainly with these re-runs.
chefwen
said, 8 months ago
Elly is such a biach! Love the smirk on Michael in the last panel.
psychlady said, 8 months ago
Can’t Win!
jessie wright said, 8 months ago
elly always the brunt of the strip?
James
said, 8 months ago
The reality of today’s comic strip is just stunning.
Bill Case said, 8 months ago
“Zip it, Michael!”
Jean said, 8 months ago
NEVER ever ignore a child when they say mom and you are in a public place………you might get more than just a good visit with a friend. Besides, why not just invite the friend to have lunch and take it to the park where the kids can play and you can visit and watch the little ones at the same time.
Jean said, 8 months ago
I love Michael’s look in the next to last panel, kind of like a “there” now ignore me look. lol
SUSAN NEWMAN
said, 8 months ago
When I was Mike’s age, it was constantly drilled into my head not to interrupt people when they’re talking.
Yet, nothing ever kept them from interrupting me when I was talking!!!
Talk about hypocrisy!!!!!
ewalnut said, 8 months ago
Look at Michael’s face in the last panel. He clearly enjoyed being right.
masnadies said, 8 months ago
You do need to teach kids not to interrupt- otherwise, everyone will look at you like you’re a monster, because face it- kids don’t interrupt once. They interrupt all.the.time. It’s easy to forget what it’s like if you’re not in the midst of it. In fact, even at the park, it’s unusual to have 5- even 3- minutes in which children aren’t interrupting. Yesterday, I was at a park with just 4 of our 5 kids, and we’d generally get in 2 or 3 sentences before one of us was needed- and then they wanted pushed on the swings (they can swing alone) or shoes done, or pulled up on something or… It’s overwhelming, and I do understand Elly’s wish to talk for what could be 5 minutes (and know to Michael it would seem much longer and to Elly much shorter!).
In our house, interruptions are all rude, and if we accidentally interrupt our children (unless they’re being really naughty of course), we apologise and ask them what they were saying, and tell our other kids not to talk over them. We at least try to respect everyone, though they know some people like teachers get extra attention and respect, because they’re trying to teach us (we show this also)
Everyone is right in that you can’t win, neither as a parent nor as a child. You will always err somewhere!