Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for June 12, 2019

It’s sad when mothers don’t appreciate their children’s sense of humor.

In before the debate over whether or not spanking kids is okay.

You had it coming, Calvin…as usual.

So Mom gets dressed up to go out, Dad is at work I assume, who’s going to watch Calvin?

Mom can’t go out looking nice, Calvin without you jokingly thwarting it?

I think this may be one of two or maybe three comics that have ended with Calvin getting spanked.

Hey, Calvin could’ve fared worse. I give you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZMoB6ms2mE

The hilarious thing is that kids do stuff like that and are gobsmacked when parents get angry. “Whaaaat? why are you mad at me? All I did was bury the car keys in the woods and now I can’t remember where.”

Gee Calvin, I wonder why she’s so grouchy?

That is the only time that I remember Calvin getting spanked. It is a shame.

I was never spanked as a child, nor was it an option my parents were willing to use. I am 37 and am a kind, respectful human being. Never spanked my kids, and they are turning out just fine.

The last time I got spanked, I honestly did not do it. I told Dad later and he said, “Well, you probably deserved that for something.” I had to agree on that one.

…but SOMETIMES…it’s totally worth it…

Never a good idea to squirt Mom with a hose, but still, funny.

Its all about Risk Vs. Reward. In this case, as it was with myself as a kid, the risk was certain. The outcome assured.

But you do it anyway cuz, gosh darn it, it’s just so much fun! And that butt won’t hurt forever. ;)

She is really steamed about having to redo the hour it took to put on all that makeup.

No. It’s a debate over Spanking or beating! Obviously there is a difference, and the latter is totally wrong!

Been there, done that. I was younger than Calvin, only four. The “end” result was the same though.

There was another single panel cartoon where you see Calvin’s mom, dripping wet in a bathrobe with shampoo in her hair and a look that said “KILL”, and Calvin is standing there with his hand on the main water valve. He had a look that said “What??…oh…crap, I’m dead…”

Calvin, you make people into grouches.

The pure glee in Calvin’s face is what makes this one so memorable.

She’s not that much of a grouch. Calvin still has his head on his shoulders.

Many times i can relate to Calvin or at least find his actions somewhat plausible for a 6 year old boy (such as throwing snowballs at Susie or locking the babysitter out of the house), but not this time. I’d never ever have considered doing something like that to my mother. Nor i think would any of my friends have done it, even those much more rambunctious than me who were always getting into trouble. We’d have literally feared for our lives if we’d done that, but it wouldn’t even have crossed our minds in the first place. Maybe with a friend or sibling, but definitely not with a parent.

Thinking more about it, maybe this is one of those strips where Calvin isn’t really meant to be seen as a 6 year old. Watterson oftentimes doesn’t let Calvin’s age get in the way of a good joke, but usually it goes in the opposite direction: such as having him do book reports or getting a history question like what was the name of Poland’s capital before Warsaw. Not to mention him sometimes deploying big words that would put many a high school student to shame. Here though i think the age ambiguity goes in the opposite direction and it’s more like we’re seeing what a 3 or 4 year old Calvin might have done.

Spanking is ok….taking all of your frustrations out on them is not

The good old days.

The missing panel must be amusing.

Both my parents spanked/beat all their many kids. I was never close to them or my siblings as an adult. Spanking did not make me a better person at all.

Sure she didn’t kick him?

Boy, a lot of controversy here. Relax, folks, it’s just a comic.

I tried really hard to use a swat only to get the kid’s attention… which might involve breaking a cycle of loud angst. That in turn implied that I shouldn’t swat ‘em when I was angry. Didn’t always manage, though.

My friend Randy was very persuasive about the idea that sometimes an immediate whack is a natural consequence of behavior; and that natural consequences are the best teachers. I have to admit that his kids only bit him on the leg once each.

A 5 years old I got spanking with a hair brush whenever I did some “creative”. It stopped when I said: “careful, I’m fragile”. Cracked up my father. He couldn’t go through with the punishment.

Oh, Calvin…

The only time Calvin has gotten spanked and I have to say the little earned it

We know why they only had one kid.

No problem with smacking your kid on the behind. Deterrence is a good thing.

Madder than a wet hen….

I did something like that once, when I was around 5.

Sprayed a passing car with water from a hose, which wasn’t so good as the young guy driving it with his girlfriend next to him had the windows down.

Pretty sure I got a spanking too.

OMG, that is such a bad kid!!! I do love him though.

Yay, Mom!