For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 03, 2021

the kids at the door look like the kids with whom he was just playing

Sharp.

That would be me. Lots of fun.

I have to say that April is very physically advanced for a 9-month-old baby to be able to ride on John’s back like that. Plus she is able to ride in the sled without back and neck support. It’s quite impressive.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Aaaaawwwww.

Yikes! They look infectious! :D

This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute! I link this comic off my website.

Today’s artwork is just adorable. I challenge anybody to try not to smile when you look at it. This is surely one of the “For Better” versions. Haven’t seen what comes later on, but I’d place this one in the top 10 “For Better list.”

Lynn’s Comments:

This punchline comes from my own childhood. My dad was a great pal to my brother and I when we were young. He’d play outside, letting us ride on his back, swinging us around and showing us how to make horns out of dandelion stems. Inside, he’d play board games and sing children’s songs, strumming the chords on his guitar. He was a big kid at heart! When we grew too old for these things, he was a bit lost—he couldn’t quite believe we had outgrown the things he so enjoyed. I remember the little kids in the neighbourhood coming to the front door and asking, “Can Mr. Ridgway come out to play?”

“No, he’s taking a nap right now. Maybe tomorrow.”

If that had been my grandmother, she would have responded to those kids “I don’t know. Can he?” She was the one who broke me of the habit of starting sentences with “can”, instead beginning with “May I…” or “Is Dr. Patterson available?” or “Would you please..”

I like to see dad’s play with their kids. I never experienced it, and my own kids never did either. I think I told you before that my DH doesn’t seem to ever know what to do with them.

I wonder if Lynn’s ex-husband was the type that would correct the neighborhood kids if they ever called him Mister instead of Doctor.

I guess Mr. Patterson and I have a lot in common.

I always tried to be the fun dad. I remember on Dads and Donuts day at my son’s preschool I was the only father to do the Chicken Dance. The other dads were looking at me like I was nuts.

Happened to me one day when I got in a water fight with the neighborhood kids.They came to the door and asked if I could play.

A good man of John to play with those children.

He who isn’t like a child …

This is so sweet today! LOVE it!!!