Let me get my comment in before the misopedists take over completely. For those not in the know, a misopedist has an abnormal hatred of children. In this case so many trolls are focused on how disgusting this phobia is in commenting on a child character, that they miss the beautiful point of this comic arc. Brad is patiently talking to Shannon, and she is responding and not as a brat, which should be forbidden on this comment board. So stupid. She is a child which the last panel shows. And she does funny things as a child. But child haters cannot see that, all they see is their need to get attention by expressing silly hatred. Please go hate somewhere else, the internet is a big place.
Shannon is often bratty, as others have observed as well. But she is also quite creative. Albert Einstein said that imagination is more powerful than knowledge. So with some patience and better parenting, Shannon may have great potential.
I enjoy watching Brad, TJ and Toni’s interaction with little Shannon. She (to me) seems to be a typical six-year-old dealing with the twists and turns that her life is taking, the best she can. Any little child can be fun, loving, annoying and exasperating all within the space of a few hours, and Shannon is no different. What I see is that these three adults are genuinely fond of her, and though they do spoil her a bit (I personally wouldn’t have gone along with the ice-cream for breakfast thing) she loves them in return and thoroughly enjoys their company. Her father comes across as an inconsiderate jerk, but that’s not her fault!
@LUANN1212 Brad is patiently talking to Shannon, and she is responding and not as a brat, which should be forbidden on this comment board.
Hi. I’d like to offer a few responses to your comment.
First, you’ve expressed a disdain for use of the word “brat”, as applied to Shannon and perhaps in general. Now that’s free speech.
Second, in the first 1.5 hours after this episode posted, at least 3 users had referred to her as a “brat” or “bratty”. The majority of those, including me, went on to express affection and amusement toward her, which certainly is not Shannon-hating. And then there are a few here who really seem to dislike/hate her. That’s free speech as well.
Third, you said that reference to “brat” should not be allowed on this board. That is not free speech you’re advocating. It’s censorship, to make others conform to your whims. Since the word “brat” is quite acceptable in polite company, there’s no possible justification for including it in the small collection of very coarse words which generally are banned.
I’d suggest that you rejoice that you live in America, in which your free speech is protected, and help keep it that way by advocating for the free speech of others, including those you may disagree with.
You tell kids what to wear, not give them a choice. This is called good parenting. And no I do not hate children but there have to be rules and the grownup makes the rules not the child.
Lemme guess….Dora, Boots and Backpack all tried to convince Shannon to do otherwise….but she declined their advice, and just tried to cover all the bases. Just in case a tidal wave broke out at the park…or a kid had a hose connected and ready, and there was a hole nearby, big enough to swim in….
…Or she ran into “M” or “Q” in the hallway, and Bond was on vacation, and Shannon just happened to have her hero cape back from the cleaners, and was available for assignment….
Okay, maybe Shannon accidentally bumped into a couple Super Mario ? boxes, and took an item from each power up suit….
-
Or perhaps she got her bag mixed up with “Sport Billy”s, and he packed a bunch of swim and beach gear- and as she discovered this, just went with the flow and said: “Well, why not?”.
To all the people posting to complain that the boys are not telling Shannon what to do:
So, when she doesn’t have a parent around, she is supposed to magically know how to make good decisions?
They are demonstrating how, if you have the time, you can start teaching a child to make good decisions. You give them small ones to make, help guide them by asking questions they should be considering, and let them live with the consequences.
After many years of this, (hopefully before they learn to drive) they ask themselves the questions, and make choices considering what worked and didn’t work in the past.
The goal here is not to get to the park (who cares if they make it there?) but to help Shannon learn how to make decisions, so she can be a well-functioning adult some day.
There are whole industries built around taking advantage of people who didn’t learn how to make good decisions. Brad and TJ are giving Shannon a little push towards not being one of them.
Brad, just take her over to Calvin and Hobbes and introduce her to them. They all will have a blast and Calvin’s mom has a patience of a saint. She knows when to step in and take control. Perhaps you can hang around and learn. Shannon and Calvin are peas in a pod…what a pun considering Calvin imagines himself as Spaceman Spiff in his space pod and has an arc titled “Two Peas In A Space Pod.” Move over, Hobbes. A human female Calvin is coming!
Good job, Brad, for interacting with Shannon rather than rewarding unwanted behavior. Now we’ll see if he can be persistent. “Shannon, what kinds of things can we do in the park, and what clothes would help you do those things best?”
Count me as another who’s sick and tired of people whining here that Brad and Toni are going to wind up adopting Shanon. Guess what? That’s never going to happen because that is too simplistic a solution in Greg Evans’ universe. It’s more likely that everyone will force Luann to become Gunther’s new girlfriend when Tiffany eventually succeeds in stealing Jack away from her, thus freeing up Bernice to pursue Piro and it’ll be Bernice who will force Luann to become Gunther’s new girlfriend because she’ll be getting sick and tired of their whining about how life is unfair and because in Bernice’s opinion the two of them deserve each other because they’re both selfish, immature brats who don’t know what to do with their lives. However, this will boomerang when Gunther winds up being an abusive jerk who will beat up Luann everyday because he’s developed a very dangerously high level of contempt for women since he broke up with Rosa, her mother started dating Mr. Gray and she began to force Gunther to have dinner with her, Mr. Gray and Lester Knox monthly. There is only one person in the entire world who can give Luann the happiness she’s been seeking all her life: Aaron Hill! It is time that Aaron Hill is brought back so that Luann can run away to Hawaii, reunite with him, then run away with him to Mexico so they can get married and have a bazillion kids. It is Luann’s destiny to be with Aaron Hill! Luann and Aaron Hill were meant to be together forever!
Here’s a possibility that occurred to me, and doesn’t seem to have crossed anyone else’s mind. There is always the chance that Shannon has no idea what kind of clothes to wear in a ‘park’, or what kinds of things go on there, because Jonah may not have taken her to a park. I realize that sounds a bit far-fetched, but there are kids whose parents can’t take time off of daytime jobs to take them to parks, kids who live a fair distance from a park and so on. So it may be just that the only ‘playing’ Shannon is really familiar with (besides playing with stuffed animals) is playing with costumes. Considering that her Dad aspires to be an actor, that may be the type of ‘playing’ that he involves her in.
Now This is Rich. Some “folks” are so busy trying to defend the “kid’s,” behavior, that They’ve forgotten that the whole idea behind this week’s Story Line was to be Lighthearted and Funny! L-O-L!!!
Hey, I got an Idea that will Help the Kid, and You legions Of “Shannonistas.”
Shannon NEEDS to be around other Kids. But not just any “Kids.”But kids EXACTLY-LIKE-HER. “Kids” who WON’T Kowtow to “Her” EVERY Whim.“Kids” who’ll wonder out Loud: "What Makes “Her” so Darned Special??"
Put Six of them in a Room with Shannon and Give Them One Toy for the SIX of them to Play with.
And as far as telling a good what to wear being good parenting versus allowing a kid to choose, my memory is of our parents (and later my bro and sister in law) trying a little of both. Equally unsuccessful, actually. The whole thing about what clothes to wear (which continues even more strongly into the teen years) is part of a kid’s declaration of independence from the parent. So every time my mother or sis in law would take the time to put out clothes for school the night before (to save time in the morning), it actually took longer for the kids to get dressed, because whatever mother had put out suddenly became the most hated thing the kid owned. The reality is, when weather is bad and time is short, a parent does have to override the child’s effort to be his or her own person. When you let the kid go to school in rainy weather with no raincoat or umbrella, or with no warm clothes when it’s snowing, the kid gets sick and YOU are blamed for not being a responsible adult. It’s a fine line; since I’m not a parent, just a relative, I get to watch from the sidelines. Kinda like TJ, I guess…
Shannon is very creative and imaginative. She is an interesting person. All the wardrobe changes will tire her out and B and TJ can take it easy in the house. They may never make it to the park and Shannon could be taking a nap by the time Toni returns.
I am an old guy (75) and read Luann every day. Fun, light and has good commentary on relationships and everyday life. Agree with author, trolls have no place with their venom. Amazing they would search out a cartoon panel to share their misery. Note the back pack and where the owl is looking…
For me, today’s story has me feeling a bit sad. I was actually very pleased with Brad for patiently explaining to Shannon that she needed to THINK about what would be appropriate to wear to the park and have her go back and try again to get dressed more successfully for the event. But, what saddens me today are Shannon’s choices. To me, it really seems as if Shannon may never have been taken to a park before, because her choices of attire are (as we can all see) all over the map. As a six-year-old, she would (under normal circumstances) be pretty adept at knowing what there will be to do at a park, and my read about today is that she really just doesn’t know what to wear.
This may be (hopefully) a bit overly dramatic…. but with the past two day’s of chaotic choices of attire to go to the park…. it makes me feel that Jonah has never done anything of that sort with Shannon ever in her life. And, that idea is very saddening to me.
I would tend to doubt that Greg would want Jonah to be portrayed in that excessively harsh of a light, so I am instead going to try to presume that Greg is just going for the “over-the-top” sort of sight-gag guffaw like was common on a lot of cartoons and television shows of the past (aka: frequent “over-the-top” moments were regularly portrayed in “I Love Lucy”).
My earlier comment was removed. Shannon behaves this way because Brad and Toni started on the wrong foot with her. Being young and unexperienced they gave into her first tantrum right off. Children will test adults and ccontinue to behave the way we allow them to.
In regards to “BRAT” … I think there are two very dichotomous ways folks are defining the term “brat” here on the board:
1. Some folks apparently feel the word “brat” is akin to a horrific slur against a child, a phrase that denotes the kid is “evil”, “horrendously deviant”, or “headed for a life of crime and incarceration”.
2. Others on the board apparently feel the word “brat” is simply a phrase to indicate a child that is misbehaving or acting out in aggravating ways.
When folks from one of the two camps above tries to converse with folks from the other camp above….. miscommunication seems to rule the day. So, I guess my take-home message is… realize some folks may be seeing “brat” in a different way than you do. It may make your communication a bit easier to make successful.
* * * *
B.T.W. …. my own use of the term “brat” is more akin to the usage in #2 above….. a child (or adult) who is misbehaving, or is acting out in ways I would consider aggravating would be defined by me as being a “brat”. But, because the word seems to create such an incendiary response in so many here…. I have begun to refrain from using the term in this venue.
I may have missed someone making a similar comment in the past couple of days but the I’ve seen many children in public places who are happily dressed in their fantasy costume of the moment, i.e. a young Batman accompanying his mom to the grocery store or a six year old in a tutu walking with her parents down the street. I’ve made the comment to any number of parents of these kids that it would be great if adults felt as free to dress in a costume that reflected their mood as children do. Obviously people don’t allow their children to go to school or formal events this way, but I didn’t find it all that odd to see Shannon playing dress-up before going on a play outing. It may not be all that practical a getup, but it’s not all that unusual either.
A quick OT question: i was reading today about the large number of Twitter users who did NOT recognize the Declaration of Independence on The Fourth of July when NPR tweeted it bit by bit, and those people through ignorance called it propaganda and worse. My resulting question: We studied The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in 6th and 7th grade, and then had more intensive study of the Constitution, our democratic republic and its governmental form as well as an introduction to parliamentary government in twelth grade. Are there really people who grew up in the U.S. and did not have such classes? Do people study them now in school?
For all those ‘persons’ who choose to read sexual overtones into today’s comic, I have a grand suggestion for you – Google the term “Reaction Formation” as it applies to YOU.
Back to the polarizing question yesterday of whether Shannon is spoiled (w/ too much attention) or starved for attention. I think it is too much of just one kind. At home she lives in Jonah’s world of drama, performance and creative imagination. Jonah expresses his love by giving her whatever she wants (toys, ice cream etc.). As a single parent with no experiences to draw on, he doesn’t have learned parenting skills; he just does what comes naturally to him. The only other people Shannon gets to interact with are Toni and Brad who are the complete opposite…. straight, down to earth pragmatic realists. Shannon is caught between these two worlds. She doesn’t have other kids her age to play with or anywhere else to go. Kids (especially girls) love to dress up and live in various imaginitive worlds. That’s healthy. But they also have to live in the day to day pragmatic world.
“One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. “Oh, no,” I said, “Disneyland burned down.” He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.”
I think Brad is going to be a wonderful father, some day. And I think he’s going to make a great dad to Shannon, too, when her dad disappears and never comes back (which I expect to happen very soon). He doesn’t deserve her and she would thrive with Toni and Brad.
All right. One more time, Shannon. Get two matching, comfortable, casual/play-wear shoes of your own. Get a top on (yes, Gentle Snowflakes, there are perverts out there). And then, if all is ship-shape, we can go to the park and play!
There is a disturbing undertone here, contrasting fantasy with reality. Toni drops her towel and the two of them run off for a wild romp in bed. Then the phone rings and they come face to face with what love making can produce…….a annoying little kid, and there’s nothing romantic about that.
Templo S.U.D. over 7 years ago
got a plan C, Brad?
Namrepus over 7 years ago
Okay, first things first. Let’s find a shirt for you to wear.
Argythree over 7 years ago
Brad rethinks the whole ‘parenting’ thing…
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 7 years ago
Presto change-o
howtheduck over 7 years ago
It looks like Shannon doesn’t get to play very far away from the costume trunk.
TexanAtHeart over 7 years ago
Even spoiled brats can be cute. She mellows under the care of Toni/Brad/TJ influence.
AnyFace over 7 years ago
My friends would often use “reasoned argument” upon their young’un.
Ruth Brown over 7 years ago
Shannon is not ready to support a thread. Not amusing.
tammyspeakslife Premium Member over 7 years ago
Imaginative.
kenhense over 7 years ago
Yeah – Shannon does show some creative talent. TJ is amused. They should go to the park like this – why not?
luann1212 over 7 years ago
Let me get my comment in before the misopedists take over completely. For those not in the know, a misopedist has an abnormal hatred of children. In this case so many trolls are focused on how disgusting this phobia is in commenting on a child character, that they miss the beautiful point of this comic arc. Brad is patiently talking to Shannon, and she is responding and not as a brat, which should be forbidden on this comment board. So stupid. She is a child which the last panel shows. And she does funny things as a child. But child haters cannot see that, all they see is their need to get attention by expressing silly hatred. Please go hate somewhere else, the internet is a big place.
Soloact over 7 years ago
Even the Owl on the backpack is surprised at what Shannon came up with as a play outfit!
Walrus Gumbo Premium Member over 7 years ago
When did Luann become The Family Circus? This is just too too precious. Gag!
Wizardgoat over 7 years ago
Shannon is often bratty, as others have observed as well. But she is also quite creative. Albert Einstein said that imagination is more powerful than knowledge. So with some patience and better parenting, Shannon may have great potential.
ironman01 over 7 years ago
This is a fairly realistic representation of how it is dealing with a imanganative child.
ritakay48 over 7 years ago
Imaginative?
Brdshtt Premium Member over 7 years ago
In the words of the great Edna Mode: No capes.
.
A shirt or top of some kind would be nice, though…
Troglodyte over 7 years ago
I enjoy watching Brad, TJ and Toni’s interaction with little Shannon. She (to me) seems to be a typical six-year-old dealing with the twists and turns that her life is taking, the best she can. Any little child can be fun, loving, annoying and exasperating all within the space of a few hours, and Shannon is no different. What I see is that these three adults are genuinely fond of her, and though they do spoil her a bit (I personally wouldn’t have gone along with the ice-cream for breakfast thing) she loves them in return and thoroughly enjoys their company. Her father comes across as an inconsiderate jerk, but that’s not her fault!
Wizardgoat over 7 years ago
@LUANN1212 Brad is patiently talking to Shannon, and she is responding and not as a brat, which should be forbidden on this comment board.
Hi. I’d like to offer a few responses to your comment.
First, you’ve expressed a disdain for use of the word “brat”, as applied to Shannon and perhaps in general. Now that’s free speech.
Second, in the first 1.5 hours after this episode posted, at least 3 users had referred to her as a “brat” or “bratty”. The majority of those, including me, went on to express affection and amusement toward her, which certainly is not Shannon-hating. And then there are a few here who really seem to dislike/hate her. That’s free speech as well.
Third, you said that reference to “brat” should not be allowed on this board. That is not free speech you’re advocating. It’s censorship, to make others conform to your whims. Since the word “brat” is quite acceptable in polite company, there’s no possible justification for including it in the small collection of very coarse words which generally are banned.
I’d suggest that you rejoice that you live in America, in which your free speech is protected, and help keep it that way by advocating for the free speech of others, including those you may disagree with.
Barry1941 over 7 years ago
You tell kids what to wear, not give them a choice. This is called good parenting. And no I do not hate children but there have to be rules and the grownup makes the rules not the child.
dlkrueger33 over 7 years ago
How long is Shannon staying? I thought it was a weekend, but maybe it’s longer? She seems to have brought everything she owns.
JayBluE over 7 years ago
Lemme guess….Dora, Boots and Backpack all tried to convince Shannon to do otherwise….but she declined their advice, and just tried to cover all the bases. Just in case a tidal wave broke out at the park…or a kid had a hose connected and ready, and there was a hole nearby, big enough to swim in….
JayBluE over 7 years ago
…Or she ran into “M” or “Q” in the hallway, and Bond was on vacation, and Shannon just happened to have her hero cape back from the cleaners, and was available for assignment….
Ignatz Premium Member over 7 years ago
A kid after TJ’s own heart.
JayBluE over 7 years ago
Okay, maybe Shannon accidentally bumped into a couple Super Mario ? boxes, and took an item from each power up suit….
-
Or perhaps she got her bag mixed up with “Sport Billy”s, and he packed a bunch of swim and beach gear- and as she discovered this, just went with the flow and said: “Well, why not?”.
JayBluE over 7 years ago
“Mish-Mash… I Was Taken Aback!…” (♪)
“Chewing On This Amalgam”
“All’s Sure, That’s Going Sure!”
“Contingency, Monkey Do”
“Goggles, Rinse, Repeat”
“Fin-nish Language”
“In Need Of A Very Shirt Story”
“Top Drop, And Roll”
“Water You Planning For?”
“The Bucket Stops Here!”
“Pails, In Comparison”
“Sandy Bottham, Of The Beach Patrol”
“Justine Case, Super Spy Princess”
“You Shoes, You Lose!”
“She’s Wand, To Talk!”
or
“Give Pieces A Chance!”
Willywise52 Premium Member over 7 years ago
Oh my,such opinionated opinions,how delightful.
LadyJ4444 over 7 years ago
I just love the expression on TJ’s face. So cute!
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 7 years ago
Shannon is gonna put some shrink’s kid thru college, for sure!
JPuzzleWhiz over 7 years ago
Unless the park is by the beach, uh, no, Shannon.
jeffiekins over 7 years ago
To all the people posting to complain that the boys are not telling Shannon what to do:
So, when she doesn’t have a parent around, she is supposed to magically know how to make good decisions?
They are demonstrating how, if you have the time, you can start teaching a child to make good decisions. You give them small ones to make, help guide them by asking questions they should be considering, and let them live with the consequences.
After many years of this, (hopefully before they learn to drive) they ask themselves the questions, and make choices considering what worked and didn’t work in the past.
The goal here is not to get to the park (who cares if they make it there?) but to help Shannon learn how to make decisions, so she can be a well-functioning adult some day.
There are whole industries built around taking advantage of people who didn’t learn how to make good decisions. Brad and TJ are giving Shannon a little push towards not being one of them.
miracleshappen over 7 years ago
This four-day gig might be Jonah’s big break — they hire him for a national tour, making Brad/Toni’s adoption of Shannon inevitable.
Schrodinger's Dog over 7 years ago
Shannon needs two flippers
capricorn9th over 7 years ago
Brad, just take her over to Calvin and Hobbes and introduce her to them. They all will have a blast and Calvin’s mom has a patience of a saint. She knows when to step in and take control. Perhaps you can hang around and learn. Shannon and Calvin are peas in a pod…what a pun considering Calvin imagines himself as Spaceman Spiff in his space pod and has an arc titled “Two Peas In A Space Pod.” Move over, Hobbes. A human female Calvin is coming!
Schrodinger's Dog over 7 years ago
What if the park is closed?
Luanaphile over 7 years ago
Good job, Brad, for interacting with Shannon rather than rewarding unwanted behavior. Now we’ll see if he can be persistent. “Shannon, what kinds of things can we do in the park, and what clothes would help you do those things best?”
Luanaphile over 7 years ago
Love her new outfit. The ability to play is vital to one’s eventual adult creativity.
docforbin over 7 years ago
Count me as another who’s sick and tired of people whining here that Brad and Toni are going to wind up adopting Shanon. Guess what? That’s never going to happen because that is too simplistic a solution in Greg Evans’ universe. It’s more likely that everyone will force Luann to become Gunther’s new girlfriend when Tiffany eventually succeeds in stealing Jack away from her, thus freeing up Bernice to pursue Piro and it’ll be Bernice who will force Luann to become Gunther’s new girlfriend because she’ll be getting sick and tired of their whining about how life is unfair and because in Bernice’s opinion the two of them deserve each other because they’re both selfish, immature brats who don’t know what to do with their lives. However, this will boomerang when Gunther winds up being an abusive jerk who will beat up Luann everyday because he’s developed a very dangerously high level of contempt for women since he broke up with Rosa, her mother started dating Mr. Gray and she began to force Gunther to have dinner with her, Mr. Gray and Lester Knox monthly. There is only one person in the entire world who can give Luann the happiness she’s been seeking all her life: Aaron Hill! It is time that Aaron Hill is brought back so that Luann can run away to Hawaii, reunite with him, then run away with him to Mexico so they can get married and have a bazillion kids. It is Luann’s destiny to be with Aaron Hill! Luann and Aaron Hill were meant to be together forever!
Argy.Bargy2 over 7 years ago
Here’s a possibility that occurred to me, and doesn’t seem to have crossed anyone else’s mind. There is always the chance that Shannon has no idea what kind of clothes to wear in a ‘park’, or what kinds of things go on there, because Jonah may not have taken her to a park. I realize that sounds a bit far-fetched, but there are kids whose parents can’t take time off of daytime jobs to take them to parks, kids who live a fair distance from a park and so on. So it may be just that the only ‘playing’ Shannon is really familiar with (besides playing with stuffed animals) is playing with costumes. Considering that her Dad aspires to be an actor, that may be the type of ‘playing’ that he involves her in.
Mordock999 Premium Member over 7 years ago
Now This is Rich. Some “folks” are so busy trying to defend the “kid’s,” behavior, that They’ve forgotten that the whole idea behind this week’s Story Line was to be Lighthearted and Funny! L-O-L!!!
Hey, I got an Idea that will Help the Kid, and You legions Of “Shannonistas.”
Shannon NEEDS to be around other Kids. But not just any “Kids.”But kids EXACTLY-LIKE-HER. “Kids” who WON’T Kowtow to “Her” EVERY Whim.“Kids” who’ll wonder out Loud: "What Makes “Her” so Darned Special??"
Put Six of them in a Room with Shannon and Give Them One Toy for the SIX of them to Play with.
Should be Interesting…..,
Argy.Bargy2 over 7 years ago
And as far as telling a good what to wear being good parenting versus allowing a kid to choose, my memory is of our parents (and later my bro and sister in law) trying a little of both. Equally unsuccessful, actually. The whole thing about what clothes to wear (which continues even more strongly into the teen years) is part of a kid’s declaration of independence from the parent. So every time my mother or sis in law would take the time to put out clothes for school the night before (to save time in the morning), it actually took longer for the kids to get dressed, because whatever mother had put out suddenly became the most hated thing the kid owned. The reality is, when weather is bad and time is short, a parent does have to override the child’s effort to be his or her own person. When you let the kid go to school in rainy weather with no raincoat or umbrella, or with no warm clothes when it’s snowing, the kid gets sick and YOU are blamed for not being a responsible adult. It’s a fine line; since I’m not a parent, just a relative, I get to watch from the sidelines. Kinda like TJ, I guess…
locake over 7 years ago
Shannon is very creative and imaginative. She is an interesting person. All the wardrobe changes will tire her out and B and TJ can take it easy in the house. They may never make it to the park and Shannon could be taking a nap by the time Toni returns.
locake over 7 years ago
I like Shannon a lot more than I like Gunther or Bernice. Tiffany was probably similar to Shannon when she was younger.
SheriffJohn over 7 years ago
I am an old guy (75) and read Luann every day. Fun, light and has good commentary on relationships and everyday life. Agree with author, trolls have no place with their venom. Amazing they would search out a cartoon panel to share their misery. Note the back pack and where the owl is looking…
Pipe Tobacco over 7 years ago
3
For me, today’s story has me feeling a bit sad. I was actually very pleased with Brad for patiently explaining to Shannon that she needed to THINK about what would be appropriate to wear to the park and have her go back and try again to get dressed more successfully for the event. But, what saddens me today are Shannon’s choices. To me, it really seems as if Shannon may never have been taken to a park before, because her choices of attire are (as we can all see) all over the map. As a six-year-old, she would (under normal circumstances) be pretty adept at knowing what there will be to do at a park, and my read about today is that she really just doesn’t know what to wear.
This may be (hopefully) a bit overly dramatic…. but with the past two day’s of chaotic choices of attire to go to the park…. it makes me feel that Jonah has never done anything of that sort with Shannon ever in her life. And, that idea is very saddening to me.
I would tend to doubt that Greg would want Jonah to be portrayed in that excessively harsh of a light, so I am instead going to try to presume that Greg is just going for the “over-the-top” sort of sight-gag guffaw like was common on a lot of cartoons and television shows of the past (aka: frequent “over-the-top” moments were regularly portrayed in “I Love Lucy”).
tammyspeakslife Premium Member over 7 years ago
My earlier comment was removed. Shannon behaves this way because Brad and Toni started on the wrong foot with her. Being young and unexperienced they gave into her first tantrum right off. Children will test adults and ccontinue to behave the way we allow them to.
Pipe Tobacco over 7 years ago
In regards to “BRAT” … I think there are two very dichotomous ways folks are defining the term “brat” here on the board:
1. Some folks apparently feel the word “brat” is akin to a horrific slur against a child, a phrase that denotes the kid is “evil”, “horrendously deviant”, or “headed for a life of crime and incarceration”.
2. Others on the board apparently feel the word “brat” is simply a phrase to indicate a child that is misbehaving or acting out in aggravating ways.
When folks from one of the two camps above tries to converse with folks from the other camp above….. miscommunication seems to rule the day. So, I guess my take-home message is… realize some folks may be seeing “brat” in a different way than you do. It may make your communication a bit easier to make successful.
* * * *B.T.W. …. my own use of the term “brat” is more akin to the usage in #2 above….. a child (or adult) who is misbehaving, or is acting out in ways I would consider aggravating would be defined by me as being a “brat”. But, because the word seems to create such an incendiary response in so many here…. I have begun to refrain from using the term in this venue.
Jose_Muerte over 7 years ago
Toni and Brad are stuck with Shannon a few times each year, is Shannon cared for by wolves or monkeys the rest of the year.
Rick Smith Premium Member over 7 years ago
Pretty much nailed it.
kauri44 over 7 years ago
I may have missed someone making a similar comment in the past couple of days but the I’ve seen many children in public places who are happily dressed in their fantasy costume of the moment, i.e. a young Batman accompanying his mom to the grocery store or a six year old in a tutu walking with her parents down the street. I’ve made the comment to any number of parents of these kids that it would be great if adults felt as free to dress in a costume that reflected their mood as children do. Obviously people don’t allow their children to go to school or formal events this way, but I didn’t find it all that odd to see Shannon playing dress-up before going on a play outing. It may not be all that practical a getup, but it’s not all that unusual either.
SukieCrandall Premium Member over 7 years ago
A quick OT question: i was reading today about the large number of Twitter users who did NOT recognize the Declaration of Independence on The Fourth of July when NPR tweeted it bit by bit, and those people through ignorance called it propaganda and worse. My resulting question: We studied The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in 6th and 7th grade, and then had more intensive study of the Constitution, our democratic republic and its governmental form as well as an introduction to parliamentary government in twelth grade. Are there really people who grew up in the U.S. and did not have such classes? Do people study them now in school?
chris_weaver over 7 years ago
And so ends another episode of My Two Dads.
craigwestlake over 7 years ago
For all those ‘persons’ who choose to read sexual overtones into today’s comic, I have a grand suggestion for you – Google the term “Reaction Formation” as it applies to YOU.
RSH over 7 years ago
Back to the polarizing question yesterday of whether Shannon is spoiled (w/ too much attention) or starved for attention. I think it is too much of just one kind. At home she lives in Jonah’s world of drama, performance and creative imagination. Jonah expresses his love by giving her whatever she wants (toys, ice cream etc.). As a single parent with no experiences to draw on, he doesn’t have learned parenting skills; he just does what comes naturally to him. The only other people Shannon gets to interact with are Toni and Brad who are the complete opposite…. straight, down to earth pragmatic realists. Shannon is caught between these two worlds. She doesn’t have other kids her age to play with or anywhere else to go. Kids (especially girls) love to dress up and live in various imaginitive worlds. That’s healthy. But they also have to live in the day to day pragmatic world.
beb01 over 7 years ago
This is not the “Shannon, Queen of the Universe” strip. Whatever happened to Luann?
Schrodinger's Dog over 7 years ago
hokaaaayyyyy …….. why are all the graphics and avatars in super duper size mode ?!!!!!
Brdshtt Premium Member over 7 years ago
From Saturday Night Live:
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Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey -
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“One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. “Oh, no,” I said, “Disneyland burned down.” He cried and cried, but I think that deep down he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.”
andytoon Premium Member over 7 years ago
I can’t stand this kid. She is a brat and ruins the strip whenever she’s on it.
flowerladytoo over 7 years ago
I think Brad is going to be a wonderful father, some day. And I think he’s going to make a great dad to Shannon, too, when her dad disappears and never comes back (which I expect to happen very soon). He doesn’t deserve her and she would thrive with Toni and Brad.
Sisyphos over 7 years ago
All right. One more time, Shannon. Get two matching, comfortable, casual/play-wear shoes of your own. Get a top on (yes, Gentle Snowflakes, there are perverts out there). And then, if all is ship-shape, we can go to the park and play!
Airman over 7 years ago
There is a disturbing undertone here, contrasting fantasy with reality. Toni drops her towel and the two of them run off for a wild romp in bed. Then the phone rings and they come face to face with what love making can produce…….a annoying little kid, and there’s nothing romantic about that.
Airman over 7 years ago
What Toni and Brad really need is a genuine honeymoon, in their own private place, away from phones and friends. Welcome to Fantasy Island.