For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 26, 2010

I like the baby’s contrasting face in panel 3 and 4. That can convert a bad mood, jubilant and gives more rest and peace than the sleep.

Aw, but how could anyone possibly stay mad after taking one look into those sad puppy-dog eyes?

And somebodyshort, I’ll bet you wish you could turn back the clock for just a little bit, now that your children are all grown up! ;)

No he didn’t call his baby girl a miserable little *@!#$.

Aww, poor little punkin’…how well I remember such nights…

TG they’re all grown up now!! ;D

One word. COLIC

And that’s why I’m not having any more. Can’t deal with the sleepless nights.

@Ash - he didn’t really mean it, and he didn’t say it out loud. He’s just tired…

^I know I’ve felt that way at 2 AM with a crying kid. But John never said it – he did what a good dad should do. You can’t control how you’re feeling (especially when you’re sleep deprived), but you can control how you respond.

Two words: ear infection. Every six weeks. Glad we never put in the tubes though.

Yeah, that @#$%% does go through your mind at 3 AM. Especially when you have to drill patients at 8. And it goes away once you see her. Very apt for guys.

@ninmas You’ve been posting this for a couple of days. I and maybe others would like an explanation. Are you being committed to a local facility or something? Or is it the world that is getting to you?

No, he’s trying to get a rise out of SOMEBODY. He’ll keep it up until he gets acknowledged.

I really can’t believe that John gave such a mean spirited name to his own little girl just because she’s scared and suffering. They say it’s the “thought” that counts? His thought is pretty sad in this one.

summerdog - no, it’s pretty human.

You know, that’s why God made little kids cute - so their parents wouldn’t kill ‘em. Having said that - I got a rise out of my now-ex; The Daughter was feeling grumpy at about 2-ish, and wouldn’t go down for her nap… until I laid her head on my shoulder and leaned back in the recliner. One hand on her back, the other arm under her bottom so she wouldn’t go anywhere… but me dozing comfortably while Daughter slept. Momma comes in and goes ballistic…. which woke Daughter up, (and me); and we were BOTH grumpy the rest of the day. (Daughter and I, that is…) Little girls have this amazing power - they generally wrap Daddy around their little finger.

Some humans, maybe.

Why did he HAVE to add the swear word to describe her?

I still call this one….sad.

“Miserable little *@!#&”, he calls the baby.

It really makes you wonder more each day about the people who stick up for these two.

summerdog, don’t be judgmental of anyone. To paraphrase Scott Adams: everyone, without exception, is a jackass sometimes. And no one can control their thoughts and emotions, only their actions.

I’ve learned never to assume that I would necessarily do any better than the other guy if I were in his circumstances, past and present.

Awww, poor thing on Lizzie! I think she was having a nightmare and wailing in the middle of the night. John cursed on Lizzie. Tsk, tsk! Unacceptable!

If I become a father, I’d love to make the kids comfortable till they fall asleep peacefully.

I love how you can always tell EXACTLY who is a parent and who isn’t by the comments. I’m a mother and I’ve had those exact thoughts about my son. Those who are saying you can’t control your thoughts at 3AM are exactly right, and until you’ve spent all night awake with a crying little one don’t judge. You can only control your actions. I love that Lynn isn’t afraid to show the bad side of people just for the sake of being pc. Very true to life with little ones.

I try to do better than the “other” guy so that no one will ever put a “jackass” label on me.

As you notice he didn’t say the bleeped word to Lizzie. His heart melted when he saw her. We’re all cranky when exhausted. I’d love to meet a perfect parent just to open up the latch to see where the batteries go!

RadioTom: I don’t get it. What was there to go ballistic about? Seems more like a sweet “Aaaawwww” moment between daddy and baby daughter than something for mom to get angry about!

In the final panel, I remember own mother (1953-2004) sinigng that to my older brother and I when we were very young, but in German.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YphiCF3bxrE

Yes, please do explain to me too, @RadioTom, why would your wife “go ballistic”? Was she jealous or something? It seemed to me you did the exactly right thing, and I can picture it easily, and it’s just charming, that’s all!

Sometimes i just don’t understand people - of course, sometimes other people don’t understand people either.

And just generally, it sounded like John was calling Lizzie something awful, but to me he was just expressing the sentiment that he wanted to go back to sleep, and he was being careless about how he put it - after all, he was half-asleep, and people’s judgement isn’t the best in that situation.

I remember a comic I once saw in which a mother is rocking her baby in her arms and singing to her, and the baby is howling, and they both are thinking, “I wish she’d shut up so I could get some sleep!”

@JEngh03, et al. -

I agree - it seems like this one is differentiating between those who studied the theory and those who did the lab course…

Waking up to a screaming baby is no fun, and some nasty thoughts go through your head. But you have to think what’s best for the kid, so you hug them and try to make them more comfortable (while you hunt down the ear plugs… :) ).

It’s a wonderful feeling when a baby falls asleep in your arms. (It helps if they don’t spit up, but that sometimes just comes with the territory - enjoy it while it lasts.)

Oh, poo, Mrs Luke. Surely you’ve had kids, and surely you’ve been cranky enough at 3 AM to mutter naughty words to yourself. If you are without children, then for heaven’s sake, reserve judgement.

I think ninmas has fish-n-mouth disease.

And melt!!

Rosalie Sorrels had a song called the “Hostile Baby Rocking Song” In which she sings about selling babies who cry with a half a pound of tea and keeping babies who smile – can’t remember the exact wording. Like she states in her introduction, babies don’t listen to the words you say – they don’t listen to you when they’re 27 – they never listen to you – so you can say whatever you want, but the actions speak much louder. John has obviously managed to comfort the kid, so who cares what he said.

@RadioTom. The only thing I could see as your ex going ballistic over is maybe worrying that you’d drop your daughter since you where asleep. But screaming would make you drop your daughter so that’s not a good thing to do.

best thing from my 16 year marriage - 4 really great kids who are now in their 40s-50s and have given me grandkids ;-)

0phelia, note he didn’t SAY those or CALL the kid that. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever called one of my kids a swear word even in my thoughts, and yes, even though I’ve been irritated at them.

Yep, easy to read who’s a parent here and who not, though.