For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 13, 2010

…than THEY.

“Stop pulling that cat’s tail!: “I’m just holding, daddy, he’s doing all the pulling.”

Actually, Michael, the trick is not to be a smart-ARSE, especially not to your mother.

And, as an aside, EarlWash, Michael’s grammar is, for once, correct; in fact, the reason that “smarter than they” is the proper construction is that “they” governs the verb “are,” which is usually omitted in the construction. Michael simply put in what most people leave out – the verb!

Her face in frame 3 is perfect.

What mother hasn’t felt that way – 3 or 4 times – a day.

“Smarter than they are” is not only correct grammatically, it’s the way it sounds right around here (which is also around where the comic is set). Omitting the verb certainly isn’t wrong, but to my ear it sounds more British than North American.

Been there, done that… Have 2 sons.. should have seen their faces when their own kids pulled this back on them..

He’s definitely not smarter; he’s just seeing what he can get away with. He’s one of those people for whom foot-long disclaimers and warnings are created for. “You never said that I couldn’t use the leaf blower in the house!” Why do we have to tell people everything??

Check this website out of ridiculous warnings:

http://commongood.org/society-45.html

lightenup those warnings are so cute and funny, but unfortunately they are real.

I’m glad I got here early enough to read the comments [sometimes the best part] without having to wade through the pointless vitriol.

Sorry, Michael. The English preposition “on” does not exclusively mean “on top of.” The corresponding preposition in another language (French, maybe) might be that restrictive, but not here.

that was my son to a tee

I’m so glad he’s 34 and raising his own who are just like him! ;)

Howtheduck - In case you don’t go back to yesterdays, Thank-you for the link I wanted. BTW I love the links so you can see the oringinals. Thanks again

You wish, Michael, you wish.

The Brits would be the first to tell us that the Americans haven’t spoken English in over 200 years. I have personally found that many words in today’s dictionaries have pronounciations at least somewhat different from when I was in school in the 40’s. e.g. ‘education’ is now prounced with the nonexisting letter ‘j’ opposed to ‘d’. We were marked down and corrected for that. “Things are a changin’”.

Mike my boy, sometimes being smart aint smart. You will be rewarded for this though, you’ll have “smart” kids of your own.

Howtheduck: Thanks for the links. Knowing the “history” of the strip really helps.

Testing parents limits is risky but there is an element of fun in it and it’s a very human thing to do.

I remember being swatted once by Dad and once by my mom. I think Mom was traumatized far more than I was. I just thought to myself, hmmm, I guess I better not use indelible markers on Mom’s old dolls anymore.

Ahhh, he has to learn hard lessons every day unless he better behaves as a good boy.

@howtheduck said, about 3 hours ago

I love your background info. You also have a good memory in order to be able to search for these things and find the exact reference.

Definitely see how popular opinions swing greatly between decades.

I think most kids go through a phase of taking things literally. Mine sure did.

“You said ‘go to bed’. You didn’t say, put your pajamas on. You didn’t say go to sleep…etc”

@ EarlWash,

Yeah, language is constantly evolving. I understand that many (if not all) of the “silent” letters in English words were originally pronounced… which is why the letters are still present in the words.

I don’t think that playing the drums under the table is any reason to send the kid to his room. Pull out something he likes to do, like maybe a coloring book and some crayons, and guide him do that instead. There was no reason at all to punish him for banging on the table. He’s doing nothing constructive sitting on his bed feeling bad about himself and you, because you can’t handle anything at all.

Oh Elly, maybe you could buy him a drum set. How does THAT sound?

Drum sets are what you give to the kids of people you don’t like.

Drum set – great idea! Somebody else should buy it for him tho – maybe John – that would make sense.

Lindz, thanks for making the trouble here insead of me HAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHA! Imagine the fight if John bought him a drum set!

I give my nephews every musical instrument on earth. They love them all, and I’m glad I don’t live in that house. My SIL has the patience of a SAINT! And she does NOT scream and yell, like Elly does, which I grew up with. I know what that does to someone, which is why I speak out against it. Excuse ME for defending the innocent!