For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 08, 2010

If nothing else, you’ll start smelling like Uncle Phil.

I think she’s about to find out.

Busted.

I had an old friend/neighbor who took it upon himself, one evening, to teach my then 10 year-old son and his buddy about smoking and drinking beer.

My friend had told me, not long after the incident, that the boys had been curious and tried to sneak some beer. He explained that his goal had been to make my son and his friend barf and never do it again.

My son told me, years later, when he was explaining why he would never smoke or drink.

One extreme circumstance tends to change the minds of those who are curious…

ireg- eventhough you were po’d when you first heard it, you were sure glad it worked nonetheless huh?

mitstan- you are right about that! especially when one is a youngster…we oldheads tend not to learn our lessons as easily…

When I was young, I snuck a swig of my uncle’ s beer - it tasted soooooo bad! I rarely drink today - maybe once a year at a wedding or some other social occasion.

at their ages, this should be enough to keep them from ever smoking

It sounds like the key is that you pick something that tastes terrible to a kid, and/or they end up barfing.

Michael doesn’t seem too fazed by it. He’s recovered in one panel. I wonder what their punishment will be (and I’m looking forward to howtheduck’s post)…

Where did they get the tobacco?

That is not Ellie watching either. Lawrence mom catches them.

howtheduck, kids are very adept at learning things they’ve seen adults doing. They are SO busted. When she smells the smoke on them, she’ll know it was them back there! :P

Kids having and using matches scares me the most in this one.

this is what trouble smells like

Something’s in the air……….

Pipe dreams?

I foresee a lot more steam from Connie and Ellie! I’m covering my eyes.

Famous last words. Handle it right, mom, or they’ll become, “Hey, watch this!” and be REAL last words.

Ever see the Andy Griffith show?

For cryin’ out loud, hate to break it to you, but you don’t need a master’s degree to smoke a pipe.

@arsmall–I was mostly concerned because my son’s friend was in my care. I appreciated my friend giving my son a valuable experience that backed up what I was teaching him. Nothing brings a lesson home like barfing when you do what mom advised not to do. I laughed when he told me how green the boys turned. I knew my friend well enough to know it was his intent to turn the boys away from drinking and smoking. My son was worried that I would be really mad at my friend.

This is still the 1970’s. Uncle Phil didn’t have to go out in the back yard to smoke his pipe in secret, he could do it in the living room with Michael watching. And Michael has been idolizing everything his uncle does!

is that a campfire? just joking

I hope they both get a beating.

Kids are masters of imitation. They watch and learn very quickly—especially bad habits and bad behavior!!