Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for June 22, 2018

blame Alice, Petey, not your parents

She should have told him he did a good job

Mom, this would have been the perfect time to lie to your kid. Honestly, that’s the most basic parenting trick in the book.

Cruelty towards Petey.

It was the best rendition of Fidgety Digits that I’ve ever heard, Petey!

Some things are just cruel to admit to a kid.

Maybe they’ll run over a possum on the way home. Makes pretty much the same squeak.

Awwww, bummer Petey.

Petey will leave home when he’s 18 and never be heard from again.

Aww, poor kid. Count on Alice to steal the show. I’ve been to school concerts where crying babies and fighting parents stole the show.

I made it to one kid’s concert and the other kid’s football game at the absolute last minute and was honestly able to say “You looked great out there! I’m so proud of you!” Not a lie, never said anything about not seeing them in action.

Petey should team up with Timmy Fretwork.Banjo,Oboe concert’s are the rage ;)

Maybe dad’s video will have captured a note or two.

Hope Schroeder doesn’t see Alice eating that Beethoven cookie…

And Alice gets the attention because of her itchy dress? What are we being taught here boys and girls?…

Yep, it’s all about Alice.

Alice is a future Trump. A narcissist in the making. I do not use that term lightly.

It’s not as if Alice wanted to wear the dress once it became itchy.

I can’t believe I’m so bummed over a comic strip………. :(

Horrible reply, mom. Your fault when Petey becomes a serial killer.

Wow. Way to crush his small spark of self-esteem.

If Mom had lied, then Alice would have outed her and then Petey wouldn’t believe her when she had an honest positive comment to make in the future.

The correct response is still “Yes. And you showed a lot of courage.”

Poor Petey. His 15 minutes of fame shot, wasted upon an audience distracted by chiggers in fancy dress.

Way to treat your first-born, Madeline! Harrumph!

You could at least have told a Little White Lie to bolster his very fragile self-esteem. But, no, Alice’s dress must take precedence.

Shame!

Isn’t it funny that Alice’s dress no longer itches after Petey’s recital?