For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 27, 2010

That’s because baby aspirin tastes like orange-flavored candy, Elly. Liquid cold medicine, not so much.

Wow, how did she get such difficult kids? No wonder she gets frustrated. If one of mine is sick and they see the cold medicine come out, they open up like baby birds (they might hate the taste, but the effects are worth it).

Had one like Lizzy, and they were about the same “age” back when the strip first came out. It was nice to see a comic mother going through some of the things I was:-) Some children are like that on taking meds. I used to use it as “syrup” on vanilla icecream. (make it a sundae) either the icecream (rare) treat, or the mix worked! (mine never had the “opportunity” to take a bottle of baby asprin though!)

My 3rd baby won’t take liquid tylenol or advil, any flavor, without a fight. Especially when she’s cranky due to pain (teething or she has had lots of ear infections). So you have to fight for a couple minutes, then wait 20, then she’s sweet and adorable again if you get enough in. Thank goodness she’s big enough now to take the chewable pills, so much easier!

Mine will take cold medicine too, but I don’t give it to them unless they can’t breathe well. Most colds do better if you just leave them alone, take plenty of fluids and rest.

Avolunteer - that’s a good idea…

p.s. To make it clear for all you Elly bashers, she’s not going to leave a bottle of aspirin around so that Lizzie will OD on it. She’s just making a point that Lizzie would rather do what she shouldn’t than what she should. Sigh…

And how do you know that’s liquid cold medication? Could be antibiotics. And even in 1981, people knew better than to give aspirin to ill children. Too much risk of Reye’s Syndrome. If I remember correctly, this strip is leading up to Lizzie’s hospitalization for, I think, pneumonia.

my husband put his mom through the wringer when it came to taking meds while he was little. One time she tried to get him to take the baby aspirin and he wouldn’t, so she told him that he wasn’t being a good boy. So later he shows up with the empty bottle and announces: ‘See, I’m a good boy’. A trip to the er and 40 some years later she still cries when she thinks of it. Don’t let the doctors fool you, it’s kids that kill ya.

Why do some people need to constantly tell others what to think or say? Now you’re warning people what not to think? Just because a couple people think they see “clearly” one way, doesn’t mean the majority’s interpretation of these characters isn’t just as “clear” to them. Nobody tells you what to think or say, so, “lighten up” already.

How did the baby get sick in the first place? What a lousy mother.

Just kidding!

If the kid has that much fight in her, she can probably weather her cold quite well without the medicine…

Wow what a story newworldmozart. I’m so glad your husband was OK. That’s a frightening thing to happen to both child and mom.

My grandmother tried to get my dad to take geritol (which was marketed to everyone back then). He hated it, but being a smart kid read the label and saw alcohol as a big ingredient. Grandmother was a tee-totaller, so he saw his opportunity. He starting asking for more Geritol every time he saw her. “Only one teaspoon a day, son!” But after a few days of him asking for it, she began to get worried and got rid of it. :-)

elly, the best thing for lizzy is for you to make yourself a kalua and cream

won’t do the little one any good, but it will make you feel much better

Dang that FDA. When I was a kid, I knew how that opiate syrup made me feel. Mouth wide open.

Susan001 -

Reye syndrome is a rare condition associated with children taking aspirin. It causes paralysis and can be pretty nasty (ask a doctor or google if you want more info).

That’s why it’s no longer recommended to give kids aspirin - other meds, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) are used instead.

I have to share this, my 2 1/2 year old grandson has had a cough and such, so his mom gave him his medicine to take in one of those little medicine cups. Instead of him taking it, he poured it into her tea!!!! Thankfully she seen it before she drank it!!!! He is a very smart little boy.

I remember when I was younger and was outgrowing baby aspirin, my mom would take half an adult aspirin, crush it to bits, and mix it with a bit of jam. I had no problem taking that!

“all sanity is lost.”

Unfortunately, that’s the way my son is… even if he likes something, if you want him to do it, he won’t. The independence (stubbornness) in him will be great when he’s older… but for right now… it makes mom want that kahlua and cream that bald mentioned. :)

Bleh. I never liked the way that cold medicine tasted. I’m 20 now and I still don’t like it. Thank goodness for capsules!

My younger cousins on the other hand… They are another story. Their mother had set the baby tylenol set on the counter while she went to get the child that needed it. Her 6 year old snuck into the room and drank it. We were lucky there was only one dose left!

box of crayons liquid detergent buttons spare change doll heads

You’re right Elly. “Tis Irony.

Lizzie looked so cute while she refused to take the medicine Elly tried to give her. It was not easy to do that but kept trying to convince the toddler to take it.

Bald 716 I love to eat ice cream with Kahlúa and milk. YUM! That is my weakness and I am more crazier to eat it before I go bed every night. :-P :-)

My youngest was like Lizzie - she’d swallow huge pills but would run from any liquid medicine. Older child was the exact opposite - he’d take any liquid, including baby aspirin dissolved in water, but no pills. Maybe boy/girl thing.

I don’t understand this asking your kid to do something theme that is often repeated here. As a parent, you are in charge; you give orders, not requests. You command, you don’t beg. The parent-child relationship is inherently hierarchical; it is not a democracy.

Spoken like a true non-parent, Rowena.

rowena – this was the beginning of kids ruling the household. Now they call Protective Services when they get mad at their parents (I had a couple of cases like that – which really backfired on the kids & landed them in Foster Care).

I think the strip was originally a big help for parents who were having these same difficulties with their kids (I should know, I wouldn’t take meds either – in any form). It provided a camaraderie and allowed parents to laugh at themselves and their own situation and probably also prevented some real child abuse.

bald 716 said: “elly, the best thing for lizzy is for you to make yourself a kalua and cream

won’t do the little one any good, but it will make you feel much better

I know a little bit of Kahlua and cream (or milk) always makes ME feel so much better!!!!!!!!!!

:o)

I have three children and I use to have to chase my oldest down when I had to give him cold medicine. My other two just cry until I give them their drink after they take it.

Good input,, NEWWORLDMOZART. All I see here is a sick kid and a worn out mom who has these kinds of thoughts that we all “get.” I AM OFFICIALLY A FAN OF ELLY’S

@rowena28: Good luck trying to force a child to swallow something! It’ll come right back up again.

Wow..I’ve raised 4 children..now ages 22,19,18 & 15–and I never commanded or gave orders. Regardless of our age, we all possess ‘free will’. Elly is seeking Elizabeth’s cooperation. As a toddler, Liz is just beginning to assert her independence, within safe parameters set by parents. She doesn’t want the medicine because she’s sick & simply doesn’t feel well.

Hmm..perhaps Elly should ‘assert her parental authority’ by holding that kid down & forcing that medicine down her throat–and show her who’s running things in that house. NOT.

ROFL. :D

@Coffee-Turtle, is that a list of (some of) the things that kids swallow?

@Susan001, I still get mad when someone says to me, “It’s good for you!” Spoken usually by someone who doesn’t know the first thing about me and what’s good for me, as an individual.