Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for January 28, 2015

The uncle is not getting the picture about his sibling’s child well-being at all if you ask me.

Nice strip Ms. Eliot.

Yes, excellent strip. Children need two parents and this is one the reasons why. The father-figure will see results from a different point of view to the mother-figure. The emotional balance comes from the male and female outlook on life. There is a bit of philosophy that I read in the 1980s, unfortunately I don’t know where it comes from: The bird of humanity cannot fly on only one wing.

Wally does have it “right”. He keeps track that Andy is getting straight A’s and is aware of his general well being. Kids need to learn on their own and make their own mistakes. Wally is very aware of this and does not believe in making the kid in his own image crap. Guide them so that they do not even know it has been done is the best way.

Was going to make a comment but it seems like just about everything as been said, except—‘LEAVE IT ALONE, JOAN’ ! ! ! ! ! !

If it ain’t broke……………..

“He never talks to us, he’s always in his room, he wears earphones 24/7”

Could it be because he feels like he isn’t really important to them, and even to author Jan Elliot? Why else would he be the only one excluded from the “family picture” that appears daily at the top of the strip?

@JoanHelen the quote is from the Baha’i Faith The world of humanity has two wings — one is woman and the other man. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible.

(Compilations, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 414)

women: Let’s discuss why you’re happy. can you be more happy? why just happy? why not ecstatic? what’s wrong? is something upsetting you?

I love Max. He’s always happy! Lucy, too.

Me too Wally.

I think Wally has this right. If Joan is still concerned, she could always start texting with him. Teenagers who normally communicate in one syllable or less seem to be far more talkative via text message.

I notice it is mostly MEN who agree with Wally. Men tend not to want to deal with emotional stuff or child raising. If they don’t see anything, it does not mean it is not there. Sometimes they are selective about seeing something and sometimes they are simply not intuitive. Yes, teenagers are sullen creatures but he needs to remember he is estranged from his parents and that is hurtful no matter if he is loved in Wally’s household and doing well in school. Wally needs to be sensitive to Andy’s whole well being, not just about his grades and lack of trouble given to him.

If the kid is getting straight As, he is not likely to be *un*happy.I say this as a woman.

I know very well what it is like to grow up with only one parent. My mother was a single parent and I grew up knowing nothing of my father. He was never discussed. That actually leaves permament scars in a child’s mind. There is always the feeling of something missing without actually being able to define it. Small children are very aware of being different.