My mother used to lock the doors on my sister and myself when we were small. My sister remembers those times, too. Broke our little hearts, it did. We survived…..and we didn’t forget.
Living in North Vancouver meant putting up with wet and cloudy weather. As soon as a sunny day arrived, Mom would shove us outside and leave us there. Sometimes we found amazing things to do and didn’t want to go back inside until the sun went down. And, sometimes we felt as though we had been banished forever. If I send myself back in time and imagine that I’m six years old sitting on our front porch waiting to be allowed back in, I feel…hungry. In order to keep us out of her hair, maybe Mom should have fed us first.
One day my kids were driving me nuts so I told them to go outside and not to come back in unless one of them was bleeding. 15 minutes later my daughter comes in crying because she caught her foot on the fence and ripped her skin, 21 stiches later……..never said that to them again.
Lynn’s Notes: It was either Eric Nichols or Wasserman who pointed out that when it is clear weather in Vancouver, everyone runs amok for fear if they don’t, it will leave and never come back again. We are getting a similar feeling in northeast Texas this month..comicsssfan: Hippogriff had a hard late April, turning 82, in the hospital for pneumonia, and just now catching up on missed work. I am hardly a title editor, but anything shortened to CCC around here brings to mind the pre-WW-II Civilian Conservation Corps, without whom we would not have what little infrastructure we do have. Being a writer by trade, I have to have an ear for language, although I frequently get beaten to the punch line by contributors who apparently work in the dark of the morning while I am asleep.
for me i find it sad that this generation thinks it needs to be entertained all the time-—————————-There’s nothing new about today’s kids, only what they do for amusement.Today they have computers and video games.Thirty years ago it was video games and TV.And thirty years before that it was TV and radio.Only the technology changes.
Wow! Some serious conversation here spurred on by a comic. Interesting. However, I must add to comicssfan. . . I’m not trying to condone what has happened to you, but did you ever consider, that you only THOUGHT mom was watching TV and reading Comos? Maybe she was, but maybe she locked you out to protect you from herself. Sounds like she had some serious depression issues. It’s so easy to blame mom, but it so difficult to see that maybe she was hurting too. . . Yes, do see a professional and good luck to you.
The horrible woman ! Child protective services should come have her arrested and take the kids into foster homes. People have been arrested for real for letting their kids play outside in their own front yards.
Templo S.U.D. over 9 years ago
How about stay outside until dinnertime, Michael?
summerdog86 over 9 years ago
My mother used to lock the doors on my sister and myself when we were small. My sister remembers those times, too. Broke our little hearts, it did. We survived…..and we didn’t forget.
JanLC over 9 years ago
Lynn’s Notes:
Living in North Vancouver meant putting up with wet and cloudy weather. As soon as a sunny day arrived, Mom would shove us outside and leave us there. Sometimes we found amazing things to do and didn’t want to go back inside until the sun went down. And, sometimes we felt as though we had been banished forever. If I send myself back in time and imagine that I’m six years old sitting on our front porch waiting to be allowed back in, I feel…hungry. In order to keep us out of her hair, maybe Mom should have fed us first.
ibjuliebk over 9 years ago
One day my kids were driving me nuts so I told them to go outside and not to come back in unless one of them was bleeding. 15 minutes later my daughter comes in crying because she caught her foot on the fence and ripped her skin, 21 stiches later……..never said that to them again.
hippogriff over 9 years ago
Lynn’s Notes: It was either Eric Nichols or Wasserman who pointed out that when it is clear weather in Vancouver, everyone runs amok for fear if they don’t, it will leave and never come back again. We are getting a similar feeling in northeast Texas this month..comicsssfan: Hippogriff had a hard late April, turning 82, in the hospital for pneumonia, and just now catching up on missed work. I am hardly a title editor, but anything shortened to CCC around here brings to mind the pre-WW-II Civilian Conservation Corps, without whom we would not have what little infrastructure we do have. Being a writer by trade, I have to have an ear for language, although I frequently get beaten to the punch line by contributors who apparently work in the dark of the morning while I am asleep.
trm over 9 years ago
Today if you put your kid outside, some wackjob helicopter parent down the street would call the cops and accuse you of child abuse.
Fido (aka Felix Rex) over 9 years ago
And here I thought the snarks over at Frazz were out…
Can't Sleep over 9 years ago
There are a lot of people who are adamant about protecting kids in the womb, and then couldn’t care less after they’re born.
Can't Sleep over 9 years ago
for me i find it sad that this generation thinks it needs to be entertained all the time-—————————-There’s nothing new about today’s kids, only what they do for amusement.Today they have computers and video games.Thirty years ago it was video games and TV.And thirty years before that it was TV and radio.Only the technology changes.
MiriM over 9 years ago
Wow! Some serious conversation here spurred on by a comic. Interesting. However, I must add to comicssfan. . . I’m not trying to condone what has happened to you, but did you ever consider, that you only THOUGHT mom was watching TV and reading Comos? Maybe she was, but maybe she locked you out to protect you from herself. Sounds like she had some serious depression issues. It’s so easy to blame mom, but it so difficult to see that maybe she was hurting too. . . Yes, do see a professional and good luck to you.
Barnabus Blackoak over 9 years ago
The horrible woman ! Child protective services should come have her arrested and take the kids into foster homes. People have been arrested for real for letting their kids play outside in their own front yards.
Meowmocha over 9 years ago
Michael Patterson: inventor of sarcasm.