For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 14, 2020

With friends like these who needs family

You’re so not ready for this third child, are you, John?

“No ear plugs” sends a pretty clear message that John does not plan to be getting up with this baby. That may have been the societal expectation back when his first two kids were born, but in 1991 when this comic strip came out, that was definitely not the case.

Trying to weasel out of those midnight feedings by not being able to hear the baby cry, are we John??? ;D

I always keep a pair with me when I fly anywhere ever since enduring the flight from hell. Of course that was when it was safe to fly. Now you need a face mask and sanitizer!

LOL! Don’t you wish, John!

Man plans, and God laughs.

Yeah, where are the nose plugs and air fresheners?

Is that “powder” I see? That’s a no-no now. It was called, “baby talcum powder”. Maybe they make it without talcum, now. Probably not when this strip was first made.

A stroller? Today your friends will give you $500 and say it should make a nice down payment on your stroller/car seat combo thingy. The price on those things is astronomical. I guess some affordable ones are out there but where my wife likes to shop, most of them are north of $1,000.

You think you’ve got everything, but you still end up going to Target at least once a day.

When I was (a lot) younger, one of the things I would include with a baby shower gift was a tiny package labeled “for Daddy”, usually tied to the ribbon on the main present. It was a pair of earplugs in a plastic case. All of the women who received them got the joke and we all had a good laugh.

“I knew they forgot something!”

Ever heard of Birth Control and Family Planning? They either had not or simply ignored it.

I was nursing. My husband had a job that demanded careful attention. I didn’t want my dear spouse to wake up! Yeah, I’m with John on this one. Earplugs for him are a good idea, as Ellie will be nursing also, and she needs to be awake, but he should sleep.

In my 20’s (55years ago) I wouldn’t have been awakened by a baby crying. I was a very sound sleeper. On a camping trip, I slept through a shotgun going off right beside my tent.

P.S. Now I can still sleep thru any noise, but wake up three times a night to use the bathroom. (Times Change!)

My daughter is now 22. I think I’m still catching up on sleep I missed from when she was a baby!