For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for September 23, 2014

Used to get the 5 miles in waist deep snow, uphill both ways, thing from my Dad all the time.

Mention it to Grandma one time and she quickly set me straight. Not only did Chicago mostly plow the streets in the Winter, but they only ever lived a few block from whatever school he was attending.

If it’s not one thing booming in your ears, it’s your mother.

Or Nab.

I grew up in Quebec, elementary school was within walking distance and my daughter went to same elementary high school I did. High school, however, was a horse of a different colour.

My father used to have to take a rifle to school because the woods he had to walk through was full of wild animals (this is the early 1930s). As for my daughters and music and homework, I totally allow them to have music playing while doing it. They have MP3 players that have a special volume-set for ear buds/headphones that CAN’T be turned up, so it can’t be too loud. For the record, they’re both pulling either straight A or A/B averages. (As for me, I couldn’t concentrate unless I had music playing. Still can’t. I have music playing at work; my boss bought me special speakers.)

Ellie needs to shut up and let her son do his homework.

When my wife went to high school in New Jersey, her district wouldn’t’t bus anyone who lived within three miles. Either you got a ride or walked. Her walk, just under three miles, included crossing a major highway.

Plenty of kids at my son’s high school bring their iPods with them. Don’t know if they listen to them during class, but they do wear them walking to/from school, which includes wandering across the street (far from a crosswalk) without looking. It’s a wonder none of these blind, deaf kids have been hit, especially since many of the drivers are also HS students.

There are studies that support, for some students, have background music helps them concentrate on studies.Of course, some clever kids can take advantage of this.

I haven’t seen the poster you mentioned, but I have heard the premise before. It’s one of the reasons I try very hard not to interrupt my programmer husband when he’s working from home on Mondays.

Rebel Strike: “Michael turn that Walkman off” would fit the tune better. (My filk even impressed Pete Seeger.) Attention to details. Otherwise, a nice filk.

I found the juke box better for study than the chatter in the “study hall”. That’s why I stuck out to study there.

WRONG Mrs. Patton!Some of us work much better with music booming in our ears! I should know I’m one of them.

Ellie, your son is doing his homework, shut your mouth and let him do it however he wants to. Who cares, as long as the work gets done.My mom grew up in Montana and she did sometimes walk a couple of miles to school, when they needed the horses for work on the farm, they couldn’t drive the buggy to school. She didn’t walk barefoot in the snow, that’s what the bobsled was for.

Elly was a teen in the 70s. Radios weren’t THAT much of a luxury. She makes it sound like she grew up during the 30s.

potrerokid1532: Yeah, that Utimilla Ridge drop-off is a dilly.

Get used to it Michael. It will be that way for the rest of your life.

Wait he was doing his homework, on his own volition, leave him and his music alone.