For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 14, 2010

I did that to a skirt once, cut something out and later found out I’d cut a hole in my skirt at the same time.

Oops!

Well, John and Elly, you really can’t get TOO mad at Michael; after all, his – er, heart was in the right place!

Look how well Michael can print with those strong fingers! Happy ♥ Valentine’s ♥ Day to you howtheduck, and to everyone else, too.

My 5 year old son had out his scissors (he had been making valentines for school on the dining room table before he moved) and tried to cut something on the carpet just last week. I told him not to, and he didn’t, but he couldn’t understand what would happen. I’m glad he wasn’t making me a valentine for me, so I didn’t have to leave him some privacy!

Sweet valentines saved from when my kids were young helped me get through my daughter’s teen years when she was less than loving towards her parents.

Awwwww, times like this make me sad that mine has grown and flown!

I thought it was marker that leaked through the paper, esp since you can see the scribble on the back of the valentine. Either way, it’s cute when kids do art or a card on their own. I’m collecting the ones that mine do and hold them dear to my heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day! My first love was probably the comics because it was one of the first things I eagerly learned to read. :-)

I thought maybe the carpet was shag, and they cut the strands sticking up. I don’t think they would be able to cut through the whole carpet cause it’s fastened to the floor. How would the scissors get under it?

Looks like a good spot for a chair. Had to do that a few times with my little one (now his 18) running around. All in love and having kids.

It’s Canadian. give them a break. They can’t even get all their torches completely lit. :)

@freeholder1, what’s this about “Canadians can’t even get all their torches completely lit”? Are you referring to the Olympic torch? If that’s what you mean, please tell me, as I never heard about that.

@Paul Jones This is a CARTOON COMIC. It isn’t real life. Sheesh!

notinksanymore had it right. Only some pile was cut. And some bleed through as well.

Paul Jones must have been raised during this era when all children’s activities are planned. When this was written it was still commonplace to let children entertain themselves for most of the day with no structured schedule. The parents had no idea what was going on. Thus the scissors (which I am amazed that no one has pointed out). My mom didn’t want us to use her scissors, not because of danger, but because we would ruin them.

hey were Canadian - were HUMAN!! and humane!

@ Rina, yeah in the Olympics’ opening ceremony, 4 pillars were supposed to rise out of the ground around the center cauldron and 4 torch holders were supposed to light a pillar each. They had a malfunction and only 3 rose :(.

It was a shame too. It was a good show, went off without a hitch all night until the big moment. My husband is Canadian, from Vancouver no less, and it made him a little homesick.

What bummed me out was Canada stole all its talent back! (Canadians will get that joke ;) )

thebird55: Yes, I noticed the scissors too. Why on earth would any parent let children the age of Michael and Elizabeth have a pair of sharp scissors like that?!? If they must have a pair, then they should be the dull kind with the rounded blades that will cut paper but nothing else. Next thing you know, he’ll be running with them!

Now she’ll flip out on poor Farley

It’s ugly, brown carpet anyway, or ugly green carpet, depending on which leg of Lynn’s medication was kicking in when she drew it numerous colors.

Looks like all the Elly defenders are finding out today that she’s really a lousy parent, however, back then, parents kept the house the way they used it and taught the kids not to touch certain things, and they were supposed to listen. There were no drawer and cabinet locks at that time. Somehow almost everyone survived. Teaching them not to touch what wasn’t theirs made more sense, because they knew how to make a decision in the face of something dangerous, unlike today where they are clueless and given a trophy for it. They had nice, useless kid scissors back then. Obviously, self righteous, put upon, Elly is lax in her 1970’s parental duties.

I have a drawer in my living room with all kinds of junk mail in it. When my 3 year-old grandson wants to cut he climbs up on the table gets the scissor box down off of the high shelf, gets papers out of the drawer and has at it. This was closely supervised when he was two and he has learned only to cut “his” papers from the drawer. When he is done he climbs up on the table and puts the scissors back in the box “out of his reach”. He strongly protests if one of the older kids tries to put the scissors up and explains that he can put them out of his reach. He has learned how to get into everything so I have just taught him the responsibility that goes along with that ability. I did re-hide the magnetic key to medicine cabinet when he figured out how to get the key off the fridge and managed to get the cabinet open to search for his vitamin C.

notinksanymore;

I hope I didn’t offend, as that was not my intention.

But you all survived those mishaps and, I assume, learned valuable lessons. I think it is a disservice to children to overprotect them. They need to skin those knees and maybe even break a bone or two.

mrlukeskywalker;

Right. It make more sense to teach that there are boundaries, both social and physical. Sure, sometimes they will test them and suffer painful consequences. Experience can be painful but it is the best teacher. Best that children learn these lessons before the stakes get too high.

Boy, I bet I gonna catch some flak for this.

Its the thought that counts.

Paul, she may not have known.

Whoa! To mrslukeshywalker. Take it easy on Lynn and Elly. “Back in the day” structure and/or supervision was two different things. Calling Elly a lousy patent is a lousy thing to do.

thebird55 No flack from here. You’re right. Better for a child to have consequences when they are relatively mild. We, as adults have consequences and we learned to handle them because we were allowed to fail as children.

It’s so bittersweet! :-)

yeah, umbrella parenting is the - well second worst one imho.

Woooooooah! Mrslukesykywalker, take it easy on a comic strip! You’re so hard on imaginary people!

I can comment on this strip the same as everyone else does, and I’m sick of the daily denial of my 1st Amendment right to do so from the 5 hostile Elly lovers. Does anyone read anybody else’s comments? Nobody else can stand her either, so take it up with them instead.

“Woooah!”

mrsluke: “Nobody else can stand Elly….” I didn’t know that! I read all the comments. More entertaining to me than the strip. I’ll definately check it out. And I love your 1st Amendment rights. Don’t stop commenting. I was just wondering about all the venom from you and others. That’s all. Its pervasive in the comments and in real life.

Thanx ireg – I don’t remember being taught NOT to use scissors, do remember being taught HOW to use scissors – not only at home but at school too. And my mom also had a pair that we couldn’t use because we would wreck them.