For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 17, 2010

The kids are happy to have him play with them. It’s just that they do tend to get bored with one activity after awhile and move on. I remember digging lots of snow tunnels with my kids – and even today when they are teenagers, they still ask me to play with them (granted, it’s usually video games) – the kids want their parents to play with them sometimes. That’s different from taking over.

Michael looked happy with how John was building it. But when he got into it they got bored and went in. Later on they’ll play in it again.

Elly’s not even in this strip and still she gets to be the demon. Everyday I am thankful that women are no longer expected to stay at home and raise a herd of kids. I am sympathetic to Elly because I feel like I dodged that bullet.

Why are so many comments about how terrible Elly is?

Kate, I mean Elly is the Devil

Unknown, serenasakitty. I defended her once and got trounced upon by so many commentators that I wound up looking exactly like Beetle Bailey after Sarge gets through with him. giggle

Poor guy! He’s so lonely that he can only imagine that his children played with him out in the snow. Growing up is hard to live up to sometimes.

I also get tired of all the mean remarks about Elly.

But then, mean remarks seem to be going around here at Go Comics.

I sometimes wonder just exactly what you expect Elly to be. She’s a relatively sane, normal woman trying to raise a family. What’s your problem?

If Elly isn’t around where did the kids get the popcorn and drinks. Neither one of the three is old enough to operate a microwave to pop popcorn.

John probably felt like a fool out of himself after he saw those kids sitting on the couch and eating the popcorns.

Elly does sound normal to me. So many women in this modern day have “Dynamo Hum Syndrome”. My apologies to the estate of Frank Zappa.

Susan001 - why are you so down on women?

IndyMan: I agree. Elly probably cleaned up the snowy mess when the kids came in, fixed them hot treats, and is now doing laundry.

Finally, some comments defending Elly. She’s not a perfect mom, but who is? That’s why I like this comic so much, it’s realistic and a lot of us can relate at some point (maybe not all the time). If you want a perfect mom and kids, read Family Circus.

Elly isn’t even in this strip. Why the big debate?

The Pattersons finally got a fun day without being screamed and yelled at for it by the raving lunatic or the absentee tramp next door.

I’m amazes at how many of Lynn’s followers have a totally wrong impression of Elly. She’s a very caring, intelligent woman. She may get momentary frustration bouts, but all of us do. She grows with her family and who, as some of us know, turned out to be excellent adults. Lighten up, go to Lynn’s web site and get to really know Elly Patterson. Boy!

Elly isnt perfect, but no one is. She’s doing what she can, so why is everyone so down on her?

Commenters are just upset because Ms. Lynn Johnston changed the style of strip and made John and kids look bad.

doesn’t anyone know how good popcorn can be? Microwave popcorn sucks a$$

Go Paul Jones!!!!!!! Woooooooohooooooooo! You hammered that home SOOOO beautifully and correctly.

I wonder why they only slam us women for pointing that same truth out.

I don’t know how I missed your comment yesterday.

I concluded long ago that Elly sympathizes have children I truly pity!

If this and “Cathy” are any example, one would say that GoComics readers do seem to dislike women intensely. Day after day, it’s how awful these comics (and especially the women in them) are – why do you read them – are you all masochists? One of the nice things about the strip is the honesty – she doesn’t sugar-coat motherhood, marriage, relationships – she just tells it like it is.

Not women, just the choices of the characters who keep making the same mistakes. We critique the men too, but nobody ever seems to catch that part.

Because it doesn’t happen!

And Susan001 said:

I think it’s Lynn whose down on women–Elly and Connie are two of the worst examples of womanhood in comic strip history!

Do you say these things when the men are groping after Yenny?