For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 08, 2021

So Mike kept quiet. They don’t know why he’s hiding other than being a chicken about going home.

Hang in there, Gordon.

I don’t know why Mike didn’t speak up about this. He’s been good friends with Gordon for years (or is there some kind of unbreakable “Man Law” that says that you have to keep all the hurt and pain inside?) :/

Sounds to me like Gordo needs new parents, or at least away from his “dad”

I guess they didn’t have child protective agencies back then in Canada. I know they didn’t have them in the US when I was a kid (I’m 71 now.) Our next door neighbors were immigrants who beat their kids all the time, and then their kids came out and beat us all up…

Dutch courage?

My, John, aren’t we sympathetic!

Sit down with him El-talk to him.

And this is why we have a closer relationship to our mothers.

Sounds to me the kid needs a visit by the Children’s Aid Society. Why the poor teen is going to be corporal beaten up because he attempted to steal a car he didn’t own? How barbaric! What he needs is love at home.

The Patterson kids may never inherit much money, but they sure picked the right parents.

Lynn Johnston usually did portray John as being as jerk… it’s no wonder her and Rod got divorced.

Compassion points for Elly.

Life’s tough. My dad was tough on us kids. And then when he got older, he wondered why none of us would visit him.

Exactly the difference expected between Boomers and Snowflakes. I have yet to decide which side to come down on.

Sounds to me like John and Elly need to ask a few questions of Gordon. Must Lynn make them so clueless?

Elly is finally understanding on Gordon.

Ellie’s right. What Gordon needs is a friend, and not just a teenage friend. He needs an adult friend, and a role model. They can’t fix his home life for him, but they can be there for him.

Isn’t anyone worried?

Elly has her finger on the pulse of the Canadian teenager!!!

We have the dual concern of violence and keeping this a comic strip so people get their daily funny. A better idea for punishment that keeps the humor and has no violence at all is this…

Elly: “I am disappointed in the two of you. Therefore, Gordon and Michael, you are going to be punished appropriately. The toilets in my house are dirty, and you two are going to clean them…”

Michael and Gordon look disappointed

Elly: “…with your tongues!”

Michael and Gordon have standard signature “fourth panel bug eyes”

I was thinking “attorney!” His dad is commiting CHILD ABUSE for crying out loud!

Sometimes a person needs both courage and a real friend!

These comments can be assembled as an unabridged version of Dr Spock’s ‘Raising Teenagers’.