For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 02, 2020

impatient much about maternity leave, aren’t they?

Apparently, none of her coworkers ever had a baby…

This is highly suspicious. It will not be so obvious to the US readers, since the United States does not have a national statutory paid maternity, paternity or parental leave. The best the US has is The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 which enables some employees to take up to 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave but only 60% of workers are eligible. When this comic strip was published in 1991, the US didn’t even have that.

In 1991, Canada had an unpaid parental leave of up to 18 weeks for employees who have been employed at least 13 weeks. Sue is calling Elly to come back to work only 8 weeks into her 18 weeks of maternity leave. Why would she do that?

While it could be that Lynn Johnston is pandering to her US readers, or she was unaware of the Canadian maternity leave laws in 1991, I believe the answer is Elly’s fellow librarians Cecily and Maeve. These were two who believed that John had left Elly for a lady named Fiona. Sue’s call could be a ruse to see if Elly needs any financial help.

We will have to wait and see what Sue’s motivation really is. The plot thickens.

Aw, those bum dimples… “spot” on!

Relaxing? Hah!

Jesus. What did they think she did at home with a new baby? Sitting around waiting to nurse or something?

And hurry, Elly, before April pees on you. Babies pees randomly, diaper on or not. Better girls than boys – I know because I had two boys.

Her coworkers are all mums, but ah, how soon they forget!

I expect that work would be looking pretty good about now. For the record, I am working from home and I want to go back to ‘work’.

I know they show Elly as the hard working, put upon , suffering mom, but I didn’t find taking care of my family and house all that hard. It was a labor of love.

Love Farley with the dog dish.

My youngest just started back to work yesterday from maternity leave with their first baby. And, last week they moved to a house they just bought. Meanwhile, her husband has to commute 75 miles for the next month, so he is staying with his dad during the week. Fortunately, she is able to work from home and my wife is staying over there to help her until things settle down. I may never see her again. ;)

OK, really. Would ANYone ever say anything that stupid?

If the comic strip was actually about 2020, she would say “not until this Virus has run it course!”

Elly can toilet train Michael, Elizabeth, and April all at once!

Sometimes everything happens at once—-

You’d think that after two babies she would know better than to hold a naked one. Beware the fountain of youth!

Feed that poor dog