Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for July 02, 2024

Calvin must be a big hit during Thanksgiving.

The dad is completely right

Does this mean that TV doesn’t build character? Doesn’t sound right.

In my family I’m the only one holding out from eating in front of the TV!

When I was a kid, my part in “family interaction” generally consisted of one word from my mother: “EAT!”

Remember when you thought that if you missed a TV show, you’d never get a second chance?

Today’s kids have no clue how it’s even possible to miss the start of a show.

As a kid, dinner revolved around the parents talking to each other. If kids spoke up, we were told "I’m talking! " They talked about their doings and we sat and ate. In a way, it was like watching talking heads TV.

Calvin, if you gulp it down fast enough, you can make yourself gag and throw it back up all over the dinner table

gross fun for you and literal ‘food for thought’ for the ’rents

ȣ

We watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and talk during the commercials.

Nice try, Dad. Now the food is cold and ears are tired of the blather. Cal wins by default.

I now know this is part of a story arc that I suspected it was from yesterday’s strip. It’s quite a good arc and reflects on Bill Watterson’s childhood memories, the tensions between Bill and his Dad and how Bill now identifies with Dad but also sympathizes with Calvin.

At my house:

“But other people get to—”

“WE’RE NOT OTHER PEOPLE!!!”

Eat your dinner or my hand is going to interact with you behind.

Our parents would have us sit down to dinner. No TV or radio. If a program was on that we’ve been wanting to watch, we’d miss it. No it’s ands or buts. When I had children I would treat them with watching TV while they ate on the weekends. They loved it.

I don’t get it. The Calvin family posesses no TV trays? That was our staple back in the 70s!

Most folks eat too quickly while watching TV. Hardly taste the food. If Calvin doesn’t like the dinner, let him watch TV and that plate will empty just like “Snap Fingers” (They’ve had their interaction with the arguing; let it GO, Parents!)

I’m confused. What’s a TV?

Looks like either Cal or his mom didn’t get a drink……..can’t tell for sure who…….

What are you whining about? It’s not like you’re missing a new episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Calvin has a particular talent for getting around dad’s attempts at logic…

“Cops” on Fox Nation is always a hoot (Bad boys, bad boys, whachagonna do when dey come fo you) or binge “American Dad” on Hulu. Speaking of, a Big Count Shout Our and Happy Birthday to Wendy ❤️Schaal, Francine on “American Dad” who bears a striking resemblance to The Dearest ❤️ Countess. Happy BD to Margo❤️ Robbie and Lindsey❤️Lohan, too.

Oh, grow up Calvin! No wait! You’re a comic strip character, you never grow up.

After dinner, the TV belonged to dad, no exceptions.

How long before he can become an emancipated minor?

You settle for a Blue Light Special at Kmart, this is what you get.

when we were newlyweds we ate dinner on tv trays in front of the tv and watched Batman

When I was a kid, the layout of the house and the placement of the furniture ensured that only my Dad could see the TV during dinner. Of course there were only the three channels and they all showed the news at 6 o’clock, so it didn’t really matter.

Obviously, by “we”, Dad means Mom and himself, whereas Calvin didn’t get so much as a chance to give any kind of protest.

Yes go watch tv. Leave your dinner here.

Well, Dad IS trying. Calvin needs a LOT of work…

I let my kids watch TV and be on their cell phones at the table. However, anything they brought to the table was fair game for family discussion, which I made fun for them (Hey, Instagram filters at the dinner table is a blast). Today, as adults with spouses and houses of their own, we still have family game nights, family work days, we still get together for meals… Bringing it to the table allowed me to speak into how they appropriated the garbage that comes in from the world.

Apparently Mom and Dad don’t realize there’s a conversation going on. Just what they wanted.

This is now considered nostalgia. Today, everyone at the table, assuming they gather at a table, will be watching separate entertainment on a hand-held device.

This might be more convincing if we’d ever seen a meaningful conversation at their dinner table.

My sister-in-law (husband’s sister) insists on the tv being on in whatever room she is in. Drives me batty! Especially the morning news before I have my coffee. Sometimes (most of the time) quiet is my preferred way to eat. She also leaves the lights on all day – once she turns the light on, she will not turn it off – even on bright, sunny days. Such a waste of electricity.

We have our own solution, we have TV in the dining room, mostly news. Not on very long.

In my family, everyone sat at the table and no one left until everyone was finished.

TV trays (which is what we called them back in the 50’s-60’s) were invented for a reason. Yes, I’m old. Shut up.