Looking back, for me it wasn’t the weekends I looked forward to for peace and quiet: It was like 9PM when the kids were in bed and we had some time to ourselves. My wife and I both work outside the home (alwaya have), and weekend were our time for family. Still have one at home, she’s 14 and independent (and HOW!!), so “our” time is finally kinda getting more plentiful… Of course, “our time” includes chores, cleaning, bills, etc.
…Just my take on weekends, folks! I think they’re overrated!
Flag’m and move on to flag again another day… GRR
But I have to agree with ejcapulet; Ellie at this point in her life never gets the “change is as good as a rest” opportunity. Been there, and although raising our children as a SAM at least until they started school was a choice we made; back to work was hectic after as we all (me included!) expected me to do everything as I had before. We all learned eventually though!
Ah, choices. Did you chose to start a family too young or did you finish your education. Did you decide on free time or success.Think they’ll roll the dice for you again? Does the dusty book on the shelf say something about serving two masters? Money, education, family. Yous pays yer money and ya take ya chances.
Ellie, you chose. Don’t complain.
I am a SAHM and totally understand John in this one. Elly gets a change on the weekends, too. She probably thinks that maybe she can get out or have some help with stuff around the house or have an adult to talk to.
That’s how I tend to feel, so excited at the possibilities! All 3 kids to the pool, maybe hang drapes (2 person job) or spend an hour shopping without the kids- and then my husband is so stressed and miserable that we often don’t speak more than absolute minimum to maintain the weekend, he spends 90% of the time playing computer games, we do less than I do by myself, and it’s depressing. Then I am all excited about Monday because I can be as happy as I want and do stuff without having to wait till he feels good enough to go to the park or whatever.
But at least the wait for weekend and then for Monday gives a rhythm to the week.
All people alternately complain and give thanks. It’s life. When kids are little, they are wonderful but they are that way ALL the time and it’s a bit much at times. Of course you miss it when they are older and never young again. Nothing is ever perfect balance all the time. Except maybe grandchildren, from what I’ve heard…
Everyone, enjoy you daily lives even if they are not what you wished for. There are those who do not live very long and would eagerly change places with you. Lynn does a great job of focusing on every day life, but you cannot appreciate the good without the bad.
Elly will get her escape - as do all parents - when their youngest child turns 18 and heads off to college or military service! Then they all say, “Where did the time go?”
Ahhh! Thank God, it’s Friday!
Locks the office door.
Drives while the music playing in the mind.
Hopefully, goes home for kicking back.
Finds the kids fighting over one thing.
Finds his wife, Elly scolding Farley for peeing on the floor while she cleans with the wet and bleach the floor.
(GASP!) Reads the list of the longest chores to do around the home while Elly and the kids yell/cry loudly.
Ahhhhhh! Monday Blue!
Unlocks the office door.
Goes back to work again!
Sighhhhhh!
What good the story of that strip is?
Heh, even my mom (who had been a SAHM) thought this was just flat-out depressing. As she said, ” What happened to this comic? I don’t remember it being like this. I remember it being realistic but still overall positive. Has the artist just given up?” I didn’t really have an answer for her. ;)
Actually, it isn’t that depressing. John shows that despite the work at his job or at home, he still tries to find some good and look forward to things.
It would be depressing if it showed him driving home, all grumpy because he knows that things are chaotic at home, and then to see him at the office on Monday, grumbling that it’s another week of hard work.
Overall, it shows the realities of life, but John’s basically got a good attitude overall- not perfect, but then is there a single one of us that doesn’t have our ups and downs?
I think I feel more sorry for Farley!!! Look at that poor dog’s expression while he’s being scolded! I wonder how long he had to wait for somebody – anybody(!) – to let him out before he just couldn’t hold it in any longer???!!!
Here we go again. The woman never gets away, never gets a break. And the guy gets to go off to work and play, never doing anything…..
I imagine there are families that have a very good balance, where they share duties equitably, but you could never tell it by the comments.
If you want to play that game, try this: if the family has a full-time outside the home working father and a stay-at-home mother, she gets time without anyone bothering her as soon as the kids go off to school. That’s at least 4 or 5 hours where she determines what she does. And since the woman usually sets the cleanliness standards, she’s her own boss.
That is one-sided, of course, but then again, this entire battle of the sexes arc has been kind of silly.
I hope my hubby realizes how lucky he is because I’m doing all the child care/homeschooling, housekeeping, shopping, all meals, plus all the home repairs (painting, fixing stuff, yard care, ect….) while he works part time and sleeps all the time. It is exhausting and annoying to see him do very little.
I was seriously puzzled about the list of chores. I thought it said PRINT PORCH. I was imagining loading the porch into the computer printer, where the paper would normally go…
I think I was hallucinating or dreaming.
It’s only 11.30 am, but maybe I could do with a little more sleep?
@mcveinot, maybe you should leave some of the work for your husband to do? It sounds like he doesn’t have enough to do - that can be very depressing.
mcveinot proably has to do all those things because hubby won’t! I don’t know her or her husband, but based on her writing, it seems/sounds highly doubtful that by leaving something undone on the chore list for him to do would EVER get done.
ejcapulet over 14 years ago
And Ellie never gets to escape. EVER.
pbarnrob over 14 years ago
Always FLAG spammers.
Take the ‘Boulder Pledge’; Never deal with spammers, EVER!
harmgb over 14 years ago
I wish bad fortune on spammers, serious bad fortune, like bad health…..cold, I know, but these are bad people…… thieves.
silvrGrl123 over 14 years ago
I fully agree with both of you, pbarnrob and harmgb. Every day, I’ve been flagging tons of spammers here.
kewasa333 over 14 years ago
Looking back, for me it wasn’t the weekends I looked forward to for peace and quiet: It was like 9PM when the kids were in bed and we had some time to ourselves. My wife and I both work outside the home (alwaya have), and weekend were our time for family. Still have one at home, she’s 14 and independent (and HOW!!), so “our” time is finally kinda getting more plentiful… Of course, “our time” includes chores, cleaning, bills, etc. …Just my take on weekends, folks! I think they’re overrated!
Allison Nunn Premium Member over 14 years ago
Flag’m and move on to flag again another day… GRR But I have to agree with ejcapulet; Ellie at this point in her life never gets the “change is as good as a rest” opportunity. Been there, and although raising our children as a SAM at least until they started school was a choice we made; back to work was hectic after as we all (me included!) expected me to do everything as I had before. We all learned eventually though!
lewisbower over 14 years ago
Ah, choices. Did you chose to start a family too young or did you finish your education. Did you decide on free time or success.Think they’ll roll the dice for you again? Does the dusty book on the shelf say something about serving two masters? Money, education, family. Yous pays yer money and ya take ya chances. Ellie, you chose. Don’t complain.
masnadies over 14 years ago
I am a SAHM and totally understand John in this one. Elly gets a change on the weekends, too. She probably thinks that maybe she can get out or have some help with stuff around the house or have an adult to talk to.
That’s how I tend to feel, so excited at the possibilities! All 3 kids to the pool, maybe hang drapes (2 person job) or spend an hour shopping without the kids- and then my husband is so stressed and miserable that we often don’t speak more than absolute minimum to maintain the weekend, he spends 90% of the time playing computer games, we do less than I do by myself, and it’s depressing. Then I am all excited about Monday because I can be as happy as I want and do stuff without having to wait till he feels good enough to go to the park or whatever.
But at least the wait for weekend and then for Monday gives a rhythm to the week.
All people alternately complain and give thanks. It’s life. When kids are little, they are wonderful but they are that way ALL the time and it’s a bit much at times. Of course you miss it when they are older and never young again. Nothing is ever perfect balance all the time. Except maybe grandchildren, from what I’ve heard…
tomtweit over 14 years ago
Was never a problem when i was working. Now that I am retired and the kids are working I get the noisy grandkids all day with no place to escape.
terryfitz1 over 14 years ago
“A man works from sun to sun, but a woman’s work is never done.”
Yukoneric over 14 years ago
A lot of time I go to work to rest. AND I only work three days a week.
AZLILSIS over 14 years ago
Everyone, enjoy you daily lives even if they are not what you wished for. There are those who do not live very long and would eagerly change places with you. Lynn does a great job of focusing on every day life, but you cannot appreciate the good without the bad.
PNmom06 over 14 years ago
Elly will get her escape - as do all parents - when their youngest child turns 18 and heads off to college or military service! Then they all say, “Where did the time go?”
catslover2 over 14 years ago
PNmom06, I love your ativar!
Wildmustang1262 over 14 years ago
Ahhh! Thank God, it’s Friday! Locks the office door. Drives while the music playing in the mind. Hopefully, goes home for kicking back. Finds the kids fighting over one thing. Finds his wife, Elly scolding Farley for peeing on the floor while she cleans with the wet and bleach the floor. (GASP!) Reads the list of the longest chores to do around the home while Elly and the kids yell/cry loudly. Ahhhhhh! Monday Blue! Unlocks the office door. Goes back to work again! Sighhhhhh! What good the story of that strip is?
Have a HAPPY LIFE!
eocene over 14 years ago
Heh, even my mom (who had been a SAHM) thought this was just flat-out depressing. As she said, ” What happened to this comic? I don’t remember it being like this. I remember it being realistic but still overall positive. Has the artist just given up?” I didn’t really have an answer for her. ;)
puddleglum1066 over 14 years ago
eocene: This strip didn’t strike me as depressing until I scrolled down and read the first two comments. Then, yeah, it was seriously depressing…
rogcbrand over 14 years ago
Actually, it isn’t that depressing. John shows that despite the work at his job or at home, he still tries to find some good and look forward to things.
It would be depressing if it showed him driving home, all grumpy because he knows that things are chaotic at home, and then to see him at the office on Monday, grumbling that it’s another week of hard work.
Overall, it shows the realities of life, but John’s basically got a good attitude overall- not perfect, but then is there a single one of us that doesn’t have our ups and downs?
caseva77 over 14 years ago
I’m so sick of being an adult. :-)
Gretchen's Mom over 14 years ago
I think I feel more sorry for Farley!!! Look at that poor dog’s expression while he’s being scolded! I wonder how long he had to wait for somebody – anybody(!) – to let him out before he just couldn’t hold it in any longer???!!!
POPPA1956 over 14 years ago
I painted the Porch, but it’s not a Porch, it’s a BMW!
cdward over 14 years ago
Here we go again. The woman never gets away, never gets a break. And the guy gets to go off to work and play, never doing anything…..
I imagine there are families that have a very good balance, where they share duties equitably, but you could never tell it by the comments.
If you want to play that game, try this: if the family has a full-time outside the home working father and a stay-at-home mother, she gets time without anyone bothering her as soon as the kids go off to school. That’s at least 4 or 5 hours where she determines what she does. And since the woman usually sets the cleanliness standards, she’s her own boss.
That is one-sided, of course, but then again, this entire battle of the sexes arc has been kind of silly.
lindz.coop Premium Member over 14 years ago
The grass is always greener…..
It’s not depressing – it’s just too real for some folks.
mcveinot over 14 years ago
I hope my hubby realizes how lucky he is because I’m doing all the child care/homeschooling, housekeeping, shopping, all meals, plus all the home repairs (painting, fixing stuff, yard care, ect….) while he works part time and sleeps all the time. It is exhausting and annoying to see him do very little.
RinaFarina over 14 years ago
I was seriously puzzled about the list of chores. I thought it said PRINT PORCH. I was imagining loading the porch into the computer printer, where the paper would normally go…
I think I was hallucinating or dreaming.
It’s only 11.30 am, but maybe I could do with a little more sleep?
@mcveinot, maybe you should leave some of the work for your husband to do? It sounds like he doesn’t have enough to do - that can be very depressing.
Gretchen's Mom over 14 years ago
RinaFarina:
mcveinot proably has to do all those things because hubby won’t! I don’t know her or her husband, but based on her writing, it seems/sounds highly doubtful that by leaving something undone on the chore list for him to do would EVER get done.