Who is the Best Grocery Store Mom?
With today’s For Better or For Worse, we see the classic situation of the grocery, the child who asks for the same thing over and over again to see if the parent will relent. Our contenders are:
1. Today’s reprint of For Better or For Worse showing Elly Patterson vs. Michael Patterson.
2. The August 8, 2006 strip showing Deanna Patterson vs. Meredith Patterson.
3. The July 18, 2008 strip showing Elizabeth Patterson vs. Françoise Caine.
Criterion #1: Did the child get what they wanted?
1. Yes. Elly gives in and buys the children treats.
2. No. Meredith does not get to ride in the cart. Deanna is the clear winner.
3. Unknown, but probably yes. We see Françoise looking down at a sack she is carrying, appearing to be fairly contented, which implies the Elizabeth gave in. However, when the strip originally came out, there was considerable debate on the issue.
Criterion #2: Which child subjects the mom to the most relentless nagging?
1. Michael asked Elly for a treat at least 6 times.
2. Meredith asks Deanna to sit in the cart with Robin 2 times, but then resorts to sitting on the ground in protest (a technique which ultimately fails).
3. Françoise asks 3 times but then says, “Please” 7 times. I think Françoise wins, especially considering that she managed to get more repetitions in a daily strip, while the other are Sundays.
Criterion #3: Which mom had the funniest punch line?
1. Elly gets a few unintentional humour points by comparing her parenting choices to a “toss-up” which means “an even chance or risk”. Since the two choices Elly gives of “being consistent” and “remaining sane” don’t really fit choices based on the definition of “toss-up”, this can only mean that Elly herself considers there to be no essential difference between “being consistent” and “remaining sane”.
2. Deanna does a pun based on 2 definitions of the word “tough” as in “tough love” and “tough on everyone”. This is the closest to an actual punch line. Deanna is the winner.
3. Elizabeth declared that she has been accepted by your daughter (Françoise) because “shes’s started to nag me!” This is the best final panel of the bunch, but not really funny. Elizabeth tells Anthony that she considers Françoise’s behaviour to be a sign of acceptance, except…Elizabeth does not call Françoise by name and calls her “your daughter”. This use of language tells us that Elizabeth has not accepted Françoise, and that Françoise annoys her.
Criterion #4: Which mom went bug-eyed and which bug-eye is the best?
1. In the last 2 panels, Elly is bug-eyed, but it is not in reaction to anything. Instead in the reprints, those bulbous eyes appear be Elly’s natural state.
2. Deanna Patterson does not show even the slightest intent to bug out her eyes.
3. Elizabeth Patterson does a full speed freak, bug-eye in Panel 4. Elizabeth is the clear winner.
Criterion #5: Which mom gave a clear and concise reason for not doing what the child wanted to the child?
1. Elly’s reason is simply, “I said, ‘No!’” screamed over and over to Michael.
2. Deanna’s reason is that she gave Meredith a chance to share a cart with Robin and Meredith said, “No” and that there is no room for Meredith. Deanna only gives Meredith one chance to make a decision and then she gets no chance to change her mind.
3. Elizabeth points out to Françoise healthy cereal, that Françoise has candy at home, and that she is not getting a new toy today (but tomorrow is a possibility). Amazingly, Elizabeth’s response is the most reasonable of the 3, until Françoise resorts to doing an excess of straight “Pleases”s and wins her over.
Who is the overall winner?
1. Not Elly Patterson, with virtually no example of good parenting.
2. Deanna Patterson gets many points for not caving into Meredith, however, her line about “tough love” makes no sense. She expects a small child to make a choice and then never reconsider that choice. That’s not “tough love”. That’s expecting too much from your child.
3. Elizabeth loses points for caving into Françoise, however, she gets points for trying to reason with her.
It’s close, but I am going to have to give it to Deanna Patterson.
1. Today’s reprint of For Better or For Worse showing Elly Patterson vs. Michael Patterson.
2. The August 8, 2006 strip showing Deanna Patterson vs. Meredith Patterson.
3. The July 18, 2008 strip showing Elizabeth Patterson vs. Françoise Caine.
Criterion #1: Did the child get what they wanted?
1. Yes. Elly gives in and buys the children treats.
2. No. Meredith does not get to ride in the cart. Deanna is the clear winner.
3. Unknown, but probably yes. We see Françoise looking down at a sack she is carrying, appearing to be fairly contented, which implies the Elizabeth gave in. However, when the strip originally came out, there was considerable debate on the issue.
Criterion #2: Which child subjects the mom to the most relentless nagging?
1. Michael asked Elly for a treat at least 6 times.
2. Meredith asks Deanna to sit in the cart with Robin 2 times, but then resorts to sitting on the ground in protest (a technique which ultimately fails).
3. Françoise asks 3 times but then says, “Please” 7 times. I think Françoise wins, especially considering that she managed to get more repetitions in a daily strip, while the other are Sundays.
Criterion #3: Which mom had the funniest punch line?
1. Elly gets a few unintentional humour points by comparing her parenting choices to a “toss-up” which means “an even chance or risk”. Since the two choices Elly gives of “being consistent” and “remaining sane” don’t really fit choices based on the definition of “toss-up”, this can only mean that Elly herself considers there to be no essential difference between “being consistent” and “remaining sane”.
2. Deanna does a pun based on 2 definitions of the word “tough” as in “tough love” and “tough on everyone”. This is the closest to an actual punch line. Deanna is the winner.
3. Elizabeth declared that she has been accepted by your daughter (Françoise) because “shes’s started to nag me!” This is the best final panel of the bunch, but not really funny. Elizabeth tells Anthony that she considers Françoise’s behaviour to be a sign of acceptance, except…Elizabeth does not call Françoise by name and calls her “your daughter”. This use of language tells us that Elizabeth has not accepted Françoise, and that Françoise annoys her.
Criterion #4: Which mom went bug-eyed and which bug-eye is the best?
1. In the last 2 panels, Elly is bug-eyed, but it is not in reaction to anything. Instead in the reprints, those bulbous eyes appear be Elly’s natural state.
2. Deanna Patterson does not show even the slightest intent to bug out her eyes.
3. Elizabeth Patterson does a full speed freak, bug-eye in Panel 4. Elizabeth is the clear winner.
Criterion #5: Which mom gave a clear and concise reason for not doing what the child wanted to the child?
1. Elly’s reason is simply, “I said, ‘No!’” screamed over and over to Michael.
2. Deanna’s reason is that she gave Meredith a chance to share a cart with Robin and Meredith said, “No” and that there is no room for Meredith. Deanna only gives Meredith one chance to make a decision and then she gets no chance to change her mind.
3. Elizabeth points out to Françoise healthy cereal, that Françoise has candy at home, and that she is not getting a new toy today (but tomorrow is a possibility). Amazingly, Elizabeth’s response is the most reasonable of the 3, until Françoise resorts to doing an excess of straight “Pleases”s and wins her over.
Who is the overall winner?
1. Not Elly Patterson, with virtually no example of good parenting.
2. Deanna Patterson gets many points for not caving into Meredith, however, her line about “tough love” makes no sense. She expects a small child to make a choice and then never reconsider that choice. That’s not “tough love”. That’s expecting too much from your child.
3. Elizabeth loses points for caving into Françoise, however, she gets points for trying to reason with her.
It’s close, but I am going to have to give it to Deanna Patterson.
posted by howard at 10:56 PM
2 Comments:
It's stuff like this that makes people wonder if Lynn has dropped a re-repint in our laps; in all three strips, we have the same belief that the child is being willfully bad in order to make Mommy's life hard.
dreadedcandiru2,
They may have the same belief, but this is a common childhood behaviour. My kids have tried it and from time-to-time re-try it. The parenting handbooks almost unanimously say not to give in or the child, having been rewarded for acting that way, will do it again. The simple fact is that nagging works even with adults.
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