Dad (and Mom) have been dictating your life, Calvin, for six years. You’ll be on your own twelve/fourteen years from then… if you can make it on your own.
“I’ll refuse to have fun.” My uncle took his son to a parade, and Greg asked his dad to buy a balloon. When my uncle refused, Greg got mad and said he wasn’t going to watch the parade. It was a story the boy never lived down.
I guess I was fortunate to be born before the advent of cable tv. There were very few, if any, shows for kids during the daytime and even prime time didn’t offer all that much for my age. I’d have never wanted to stay inside during the summer!
Hey, at least that’s not as bad as Nickelodeon’s sneaky strategy they came up with in the late 90s and early 2000s for getting older shows off the air; during summer reruns they’d play THIS bumper before an older ended show would start, like “Doug,” “Ren & Stimpy” and “Rocko’s Modern Life”, hoping that kids would see it and go outside to play instead of watching the reruns, so the ratings would drop steadily and they could be removed from the schedule! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzbF4tgKl4
Calvin is a child, and as such, has no rights under the law. He is property of his parents. So when he told to remain at the dinner table or go outside, his only response is “Yes, sir”. A child need to be five things, which is the proper relationship to their parents:
Everything about Hobbes was left to our imaginations; I’ve never worried about it myself. Calvin may have ‘left’ Hobbes on the couch for all we know. Calvin is going to eat his words from the last panel as we’ll see.
BE THIS GUY almost 4 years ago
How come Hobbes gets to lounge on the couch during dinner time?
Space_Owl on GoComics almost 4 years ago
I don’t get why Calvin’s dad bugs him about going outside so much. Have you seen the kid on a sled or in a wagon?
Templo S.U.D. almost 4 years ago
Dad (and Mom) have been dictating your life, Calvin, for six years. You’ll be on your own twelve/fourteen years from then… if you can make it on your own.
codycab almost 4 years ago
Having fun (say it with me now) builds character!
Johnny Q Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Parents to kids: “Do as we say, not as we do!”
Bilan almost 4 years ago
Calvin still has to learn Parentspeak. When they say ‘go outside’, they mean ‘go somewhere that we’re not’.
orinoco womble almost 4 years ago
After that business with the garage, you’d think they’d want him where they could see him.
Alexander the Good Enough almost 4 years ago
Calvin does seem to have rather more (suicidal) fun in the winter…
M2MM almost 4 years ago
Calvin will forget about his refusal, and actually enjoy himself. :D
DaveG1960 almost 4 years ago
Ah, a future PC gamer….
Bullet Bronson Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Oh no! Now the couch caught the chicken pox that Calvin had last week.
jpayne4040 almost 4 years ago
I’m sure that will really make him suffer, Calvin! /s
cubswin2016 almost 4 years ago
Yeah, that will show them. NOT!
Dani Rice almost 4 years ago
“I’ll refuse to have fun.” My uncle took his son to a parade, and Greg asked his dad to buy a balloon. When my uncle refused, Greg got mad and said he wasn’t going to watch the parade. It was a story the boy never lived down.
joefearsnothing almost 4 years ago
This is so true of today’s children and it concerns me!
chuckcork1 almost 4 years ago
Yeah, I’m old enough I’m now chasing my kids out too.
Then feeling like a hypocrite when I go sit down at my work PC and keep working
morningglory73 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
We kids used to play outside from morning until dusk every day that we could. It was fun.
bob almost 4 years ago
Oh to be a kid again
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Hey, it’s true. Forced fun is no fun.
USN1977 almost 4 years ago
This strip would not work today with the coronavirus.
WCraft Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I guess I was fortunate to be born before the advent of cable tv. There were very few, if any, shows for kids during the daytime and even prime time didn’t offer all that much for my age. I’d have never wanted to stay inside during the summer!
belgarathmth almost 4 years ago
I’d forgotten doing this as a kid, but now I remember that I often did, if my mother made me do something “fun” that wasn’t my idea.
kathleenhicks62 almost 4 years ago
Too hot outside.
mistercatworks almost 4 years ago
And that’s why Calvin grew up to invent video games. That’s teach Dad.
DanWolfie almost 4 years ago
Hey, at least that’s not as bad as Nickelodeon’s sneaky strategy they came up with in the late 90s and early 2000s for getting older shows off the air; during summer reruns they’d play THIS bumper before an older ended show would start, like “Doug,” “Ren & Stimpy” and “Rocko’s Modern Life”, hoping that kids would see it and go outside to play instead of watching the reruns, so the ratings would drop steadily and they could be removed from the schedule! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzbF4tgKl4
The_Great_Black President almost 4 years ago
Calvin is a child, and as such, has no rights under the law. He is property of his parents. So when he told to remain at the dinner table or go outside, his only response is “Yes, sir”. A child need to be five things, which is the proper relationship to their parents:
Subservient
Loyal
Attentive
Valuable member of the family
Education-minded
josh_bisbee almost 4 years ago
My stepmom herded me and my sister outside during the summer. I hated it, since the things that I enjoyed doing were indoor things.
Troglodyte almost 4 years ago
Take a swing at it, Calvin!
rshive almost 4 years ago
Cruelty unbounded. Can you imagine Calvin throwing a mud ball at Susie and choosing not to enjoy it?
SweetSinger almost 4 years ago
Wouldn’t Dad make a stronger point if he came out to play with his son?
Otis Rufus Driftwood almost 4 years ago
Everything about Hobbes was left to our imaginations; I’ve never worried about it myself. Calvin may have ‘left’ Hobbes on the couch for all we know. Calvin is going to eat his words from the last panel as we’ll see.
lindz.coop Premium Member almost 4 years ago
vaughnrl2003…agree…forced fun is no fun.
Tijaro over 3 years ago
just a random comment, hope you have a great day