For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 10, 2021

A jab at whoever gave this toy to Lynn’s real life children, I am sure.

I’d say April’s grandparents gave her that toy. They don’t have to worry about the racket most of the time.;-D

Pop that Bop like you really mean it, April.

I tried giving noisy toys to my eldest American nephew. My sister and her husband are no fun, they didn’t mind at all!

He’ll appreciate it more the next time he comes home after getting chewed out by his boss.

“Lemme borrow that for a bit, April. Thanks.” (goes into the bathroom and locks the door)…

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! ………

What a strange twist to the storyline. We all expected to come on today and see Gordon beaten by his mean father, and we get the beating symbolized as a baby learning to be violent. Maybe the Gordon beating couldn’t get passed by the censors?

When my nephew was a toddler we used to buy him noisy toys for his birthday just to mess with my sister-in-law. She knew exactly what we were doing and paid us back big-time: We wound up having FOUR children and they ALL got noisy toys for their birthdays.

Does this circle back to Gordon I hope?

Someone gave us a little toy “cd player” when our older girl was a baby. Basically, you hit a button and it played a twinkly song. That thing was so sensitive that, if the upstairs neighbor tripped and fell with a loud thud, that thing would go off! Even a strong thunderstorm would cause it to activate. We were glad to get rid of it.

My daughter suffers from concussion damage that has left her sensitive to noise, so we have to consider all grandchildren gifts carefully.

Lynn’s Comments:

After a serious issue had been aired in the strip, I had to interject something light. Here, baby April comes to the rescue.

I gave my toddler niece the old classic “Popcorn Popper” push toy for this very reason…and she LOVED it! Got the stink-eye from my sister, though… XD ;)

I suspect that particular toy may get broken tonight.

How come in panel two her foot looks like a sock?

April’s a fast grower.

I always bought noisy toys for my sister’s kids when they were little. Heh heh.

Funny, I asked my brother a similar question when somebody gave my young nephew a drum set. “Who gave him that, and why do they hate you?”

When our boys were small my father in law bought them a couple of fireman helmets from Radio Shack. The helmets had unearthly loud sirens that he thought were really funny. We let the boys wear them until he left.

Give your frenemy’s kid a drum set. It’s hilarious.

My favorite noise maker was a tin frog, that was made so that when you pinched it together it made a loud “CLICK”. Give it to the kid just before a long car trip. If the clicking doesn’t drive you nuts, the crying will, after you take it away.

April is working out all her anger issues.

These installations about April are an advertisement for birth control.

I remember a similar toy which involved pounding pegs into holes. My father told my mother to make me stop.

That’s what you give friends and family that have small kids; Something loud or something with a lot of small pieces!!!

Cute feet.

My mother told me of a time my grandfather gave me a toy drum. My parents made sure I took it with me the next time we visited him. My grandfather later gave me a butter knife an asked me how did the drum worked.

Funny thing is that I still loved my grandfather.

Have to say … one of the best things about being an uncle is giving my niece and nephew great gifts. My sister in law gave me the best look when they got a collection of nerf swords, nerf dart guns and a whole bunch of nerf ammo. :-)

Yes someone does not like you. Wonder if workers need that for bad day.

I got my boss’s daughter a flying saucer toy that rolled on the floor and flashed its lights. I didn’t realize until she turned it on, in a quiet house and not a noisy toy store, how LOUD the thing was. My boss looked at me as if to say, “What did I do to deserve this?” STG, I wouldn’t have given it had I but known…

I go to the local pistol range and shoot a few boxes of ammo on the combat range (good guys and/or bad guys on paper targets visible 3 seconds at varying range and lighting.)

Years ago, I sent my now in her 30s niece a multi-piece “My Little Pony” Birthday set as a birthday gift. It even included a cake comprised of 8 separate pieces. My SIL wondered what she had done to me to get this kind of revenge…

Grandparents give those kinds of gifts just as a way of getting back at their kids.

I love when the babies ignore fancy toys and opt out for a wooden spoon and a pot bottom. ㋡

One of my brothers got our nephew an RC jeep that loudly played “Cotton Eye Joe”. The looks on the lad’s parents’ faces were hilarious.

But, wait…..It’s Developmental, honest! Helps develop eye-hand coordination!

I have a “Dammit Doll” that was given to me as a gift many years ago. Believe me, it gets a lot of use.

It’s payback from a revengeful younger sibling, now aunt that only has fur babies. Should have let me tag along, ha ha.

My nominee for Most Annoying Toys: cheesy psuedo-futuristic laser guns that make horrendous sci-fi weapon noises and have lots of flashing lights.

If you think this is noisy, think back (or perhaps forward) to April the middle schooler, Uncle Phil and the trumpet mouthpiece, and the musical craziness that led to!

My sister bought her 9 year old godson a fire engine with siren. They in turn bought her 10 year old son a drum kit.