For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 19, 2012

Gosh, I didn’t know the economy was tough in Canada too . . .

That someone else kid will take cars of you when you get older and can’t get around like you can now.

Gives new meaning to father/ son bonding time.

I actually like what some of the schools in my district have done. Instead of selling candy or other crap and having the kids go door to door or hit up all their relatives or parents their workmates, they simply ask for a donation to help the PTA sponsor scholarships for field trips for the financially disadvantaged, classroom parties, extra supplies for the teachers, etc. Write one check – any size you want or can afford – at the beginning of the year, and you’re done.

A 33% success rate isn’t bad for door to door sales.

Sales is difficult even when not going door-to-door.Several already said it well. Whether they’re our kids or not, it’s our obligation to provide the best experience that we can for them. I also believe that we need to hold them to high standards as well. There was recently a story in our area about a successful businessman who 12 years ago promised a group of Kindergarteners that he would contribute toward their college if they graduated high school. The part that I liked best is that he put this group into his program and all of their parents agreed they would abide by the program’s rules. Basically, the rules meant they had to work hard, be respectful, not get into trouble, contribute to society, etc. In return, they not only were able to go to college, but they also got trips to museums, NYC, nice dinners to learn manners, theater, etc. Keep in mind they all came from poor families, many had only single moms raising them. I would bet serious money that these kids all turn out well and become contributing, positive members of society. I’m not saying we all need to sponsor a poor kid and guide them through life, but they at least had someone who taught them right from wrong, believed in them, showed them the good side of life and made it clear that doing the right thing would get them good things. Not sure how this connects with buying chocolate bars, but I do think that buying from a kid shows that strangers believe in them and want them to do well.Having said that, our school has gone to what djc928 said: rather than having to sell wrapping paper, the parents now just make a direct donation to the PTA/Foundation. I feel better that 100% of my money is going to the school rather than 40% the way it used to be. It’s just sad that poorer families can’t afford to do this, so they already start off at a disadvantage.

When kids come around in our neighborhood selling “booster bars”, I can’t help myself, I usually buy two. Geesh it’s only a couple bucks, I would spend that much on the ones in the grocery store or a vending machine. And booster bars are good quality chocolate. The caramel ones are to die for. YUM!

TL and gmartin997 need to take it outside,………folks, this is a comic strip, yes it is 20 years old and alot of schools have changed but I agree with lmwilcox8, i buy booster bars from my grandsons band every year, love them and will continue after he graduates.

They need Liz to help out. Who could turn her down?

Everyone…lighten up!

this ‘selling candy bars’ thing is cruel to both kids AND parents!

the writing of one check, at the start of the school year is not usually enough. If the school would tell parents how much they are short and what that would be PER CHILD, it would make it easier. If you can afford it, pay for yours and for someone who can’t. Sadly, this is NOT how it works. They constantly want more and more. Maybe we should go back the pre prop 13 and get in from property taxes.

My town has a big program to help the schools, it buys computers and the like – but they still have to put the kids out selling useless products and use guilt and shame to pay for these things. This does not show the kids anything.

who let the dogs out? who! who!

They sell stuff, rather than asking donations, so people have an immediate “response” to their “donation.” People won’t give $5 cash but they will spend $25 on wrapping paper, cookies, candy, etc. We were with a co-op school program that tried to get hard money per child, but it felt like a tax. Some kids raise a lot doing these methods and others do not. Different fundraisers through-out the year can get tiresome. I can only hit up my work colleagues so many times. But since I disagree with a lot of the money buckets my local schools pay into, don’t step on my house taxes to give them more. One last kid for one more year of school and then that one race is now over.

KA7DRE: I think that was originally done in the bad ol’ days of Maggie, Ronnie, and Mo’Ronnie.

Thank you saying what needed to be said.

I have great respect for the postman (mail carrier). I make the kids give me the whole spiel before I buy from them. They can’t just say “Want to buy a candy bar?”.

It’s kind of sad that in the past few decades, kids have had to go out selling candy to raise money for school projects. When I was in school (many decades ago) we didn’t have to do this. Everything in the school system was paid for through taxes. Makes you wonder how many fingers are in the till now!

I think it’s better to sell to relatives and friends than going door to door. It’s safer that way.

I would be happier to give [if I had any money] to things like car washes or bake sales or something along those lines than to have some kids bother me at home trying to sell stuff I don’t want to support some sport or cause that I have no interest in. At least with that you have a choice to participate without having to feel like a jerk because you can’t donate for whatever reason.

I have a group of pre-teens I support, and each year they go around the block the weekend before Halloween GIVING candy away. Perhaps one in ten houses opens the door, but the kids still enjoy it.

If you can afford your new SUV, House, massages, BBQ’s, etc. Then pay for your kids expenses! Otherwise don’t have them and expect others to pay for them!

Agreed! My husband talked to his nephew long-distance yesterday and heard this story: my nephew’s m-i-l had to buy a new car so she called her (other) s-i-l, who’s her financial adviser, and told him she wanted to transfer money from one account to another in order to do so. He tried to talk her out of it because in a few short years, she had 2 grandchildren that were going to be going to college! She told him that while she loved her grandchildren, she not only couldn’t afford the expensive school they wanted to send their kids to but that it was up to their parents to take care of their college education — not her . . . just like she had to do when her children (one of them being his wife) went to college. (B/t/w, she went ahead and got her new car.)

Then our nephew talked about their recent trip to Texas to visit his wife’s family. When it was mentioned that when our nephew and his wife retire (which won’t be for probably another 15 or 20 years yet), they planned on selling his business and moving to Texas to be closer to her family (and for the nicer weather). Well, this same financial advisor s-i-l and his wife got all excited and wanted to know the soonest they could do it because that business had to be worth a lot of money and they had 2 children that would be going to college soon!

They’ve certainly got a lot of nerve. This couple lives in a Texas McMansion, both have new cars, new iPhones, new everything you can think of . . . yet they want everyone else to pick up the tab on their kids’ college education because they’ve just about spent themselves into bankruptcy and can’t afford to do it themselves! Those 2 are a real piece of work and I’m sure glad we don’t know them because my husband and I would probably be next on their list of people they’d hit up for money to pay for their kids’ college education! Maybe they should have thought of all that before they spent money they couldn’t afford on luxury items they didn’t really need when they’ve got kids that they can’t support.

Yet another sterling example of why this country is in the poor shape it’s in today.

“The whole country is going down the drain, who the hell is affluent? Programs are being cut? What is being cut is the FAT. Its back to basics. To academics, what it should be.”

Sorry, TL but what is being cut is not the fat. The fat is still there in the form of bloated salaries and administrative nonsense. What is being cut is actual resources. Teachers have to buy supplies like paper and pencils out of their own pockets. Books have to be shared because the school can’t afford to buy enough of them. As for being back to basic academics, talk to my s-i-l who recently retired as a 3rd grade teacher. Because of all the bureaucratic nonsense, she spent so much time teaching the PC garbage that (IMHO) doesn’t belong in a classroom that she had to pick and choose which academic subject she had time to teach. Those kids got shortchanged regularly and her hands were tied.

better or worse.. that makes us day to day life..

Some of us kinda think we do that with taxes — I know how naive that is — but if the govt wasn’t spending every penny we give them on senseless wars there would be enough money for all the things you list.

GretchensMom — so right!! In Michigan there is a college funding program wherein you put money in at today’s rate for college and when your kid needs it, the money is there for their college education. Many families have used it successfully, but there are those who see it as a “tax” and refuse — then expect others to pick up the tab for their kids’ education.

I like the third panel. “Dad, did you step in something?” I wonder just what dad did when that dog barked? He must have been pretty scared, lol!