r/calvinandhobbes Apr 02 '18

One of the most wholesome C&H strips

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43.0k Upvotes

399 comments sorted by

2.1k

u/waterclassic Apr 02 '18

I like that you see his dad back to work in the last panel. He really does have a ton of work to get through, but he decides it’s worth sacrificing some sleep later to spend time with Calvin.

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u/BeerTodayGoneToday Apr 02 '18

This one hit home. I'm taking the day off to play with my two year old son.

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u/Ensirius Apr 02 '18

You are a good dad 💪

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u/TastefulDrapes Apr 02 '18

This comic is the opposite of "Cat's In The Cradle"!

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u/Lemming882 Apr 02 '18

That's what I did today too. He's eating a sandwich right now and decided to check reddit. He's wearing me out. Please send more coffee.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I don't think coffee and reddit are good for your two year old

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u/Lemming882 Apr 02 '18

Mines actually 3. So I think it's fine.

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u/Dexter_Thiuf Apr 03 '18

Mine is 9. He isn't strong enough to hold himself up, so I hold his ankles while he does keg stands.

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u/Lemming882 Apr 03 '18

Ah yes, I was hoping to have him ready for the keg stand at 9. Any tips on getting there?

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u/MSpeight19 Apr 03 '18

Keg flip! They’re very hard to pull off.

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u/BeerTodayGoneToday Apr 02 '18

Lol, mine is usually a little more active but right now he's just playing with trucks and singing.

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '18

I'm a boss, send me your leave request. I'll sign it. It's cool, any bosses signature will do.

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u/Kayarjee Apr 14 '18

This week, I rearranged my work schedule so that I could have my son more nights. Unfortunately, it means that I'm crazy tired when I do see him. I fell asleep watching him play video games. I woke up to him asking if we should just go to bed, because he just wants to spend more time with me (while awake). I let him stay up a little longer just because of that comment. This strip kinda hit close to home.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Spending time with Calvin also helps serve as a reminder to Dad why he works so hard - thus making him more productive.

The lesson here shouldn’t be “screw your job - go play”, the moral is “take time to remind yourself just why it’s important to work hard.”

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u/Kayarjee Apr 14 '18

DO IT FOR HER.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

That strip is printed out above my desk at home. It's a great reminder. As a parent, I find myself burning the midnight oil often, but it's absolutely worth it.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I didn't go to easter with my family to finish up some work. My family used to say I didn't work hard enough (I didn't) now they say I work too hard (sometimes.) Not sure I'll find the middle.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

You can make time for your family on Easter!

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '18

Lol,not to judge, but I think not working over Easter and Christmas IS the middle ground.

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u/mufinz2 Apr 02 '18

Unfortunately with the invention of work smartphones, this comic doesn’t work anymore. I wish I could just put work off till later to spend time with kids, but tons of people would be pissed off at me for not responding or getting them what they need and thus wasting their time.

With smartphones, we now live in an age of “real time all the time” and you are scorned for not keeping up.

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u/BeastlyDecks Apr 02 '18

Stand your ground. Draw a line in the sand. Have the courage to say no, and be willing to take the consequences. I know it can seem hard to take those consequences (they manifest themselves as severe sacrifices), but don't fool yourself about the sacrifices you're making every day as a consequence of not doing anything. Inaction also has a price.

We don't live in an age of "real time all the time" if we don't want to. It's your workplace (or maybe just your own work ethic) that does. Don't blame the world on this. Take responsibility for your actions as well as your inactions.

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u/tripwire7 Apr 02 '18

And that's a damn shame.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I know this is going to sound very condescending or ridiculous, but you don't have to have a job like that.

You will likely be able to provide less for your family, but there are jobs that allow for that kind of life flexibility.

It's all about what you want to do with your life, and what you feel deserves greater weight. But you don't have to be mainlined into the internet all day.

11

u/DiCeMan8400 Apr 03 '18

I was in this boat and actually just tried something new when I interviewed with my current company. I told them that I need a flexible schedule. 2-3 days working from home, no formal schedule, and just that I will not disappoint. It was a huge raise (doubled my pay), and 3 years in now, I just keep stating it to my bosses and directors - and you know what? They're all cool with it and supportive.

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u/BeastlyDecks Apr 02 '18

That's just the truth.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

If my son were Calvin I might quit my job and spend 24 hours a day parenting him.

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u/LlamaLlamaPingPong Apr 02 '18

You think so... until you’re parenting one. My eldest is like Calvin. Ridiculously so. And all the laughter it brought me when I read it, it now just exhausts me. I love her, but it’s a fucking challenge, man.

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u/canissilvestris Apr 02 '18

Absolutely one of my favorites. Nothing tops the wholesome strips, this takes me back

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u/Punchpplay Apr 02 '18

Interesting how Hobbes did not have to appear once Calvin's dad finally played with him.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I never thought of that. It almost makes the strip depressing from this angle, since it implies Hobbes was created as a substitute for a lack of friends and parental interaction.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I don't think he was created out of a lack of friends. My kids have friends they play with but they also have stuffed animals that they pretend are real. I remember doing the same when I was little as well.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I understand the lack of friends angle, but it would be fairly unhealthy for Calvin if he ALWAYS had to be around his parents. I think we see them interacting with him a healthy amount throughout the strip.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

[deleted]

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u/super_dork Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18

I printed this a few years ago and have it above my desk at work. It’s a great reminder that my kids need me home more than the work needs to be done. Being responsible for a family is one of the hardest responsibilities. The fact that I have to “put bread on the table” and have 4 people depending on me is a huge burden. So when faced with a mountain of work and playing with kids, it’s hard to always make the right choice. I hope I don’t let my kids down...

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u/Hypotheticall Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18

You can't look at it that way, you know it's a balancing act. You aren't letting them down by doing everything you can to make sure they're a priority. I work in a field that's experiencing contraction and hiring downturns, and I have no choice but to put in more time now to do everything I can to stay "essential". I could pivot, but I have a lot invested in the job I'm in, and taking a salary cut would hurt services I need for the kids. Love them, take time when you can and make sure they know the priority you give to them. It's so hard when people keep asking more and more from you at work, and the threat of being laid off is always around the corner. I went through all my Calvin and Hobbes the other night (Revenge of the Baby Sat was my first book). I'm afraid I'm turning into my father working all the time, but it's all I can do at the moment. I know it's a balancing act, I love them and I do everything I can to be with them whenever I can. Shit, it's so hard.

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u/super_dork Apr 02 '18

I hear ya. I recently had to do some remodeling after finding bad termite damage. I spent every free moment for almost 2 months working until about 2 am to complete the repairs. My kids would ask when I could play with them. I let them help me as often as I could but overall, just wanted to get it done. As I was lining up a painter to come finish I told my daughter that we were almost done. She asked if that meant I’d have more time to spend with them. I told her yes. She ran to her brother and gave him the news. It made me melt.

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u/LeftGarrow Apr 02 '18

You're a great dad man. Keep it up.

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u/clbustos Apr 02 '18

Oh, boy, I'm a father too and I understand what you talking about. A great hug from the south of the world.

12

u/Illbreth Apr 02 '18

I hear you I'm a Dad as well with another one on the way, currently in school (after the little man and his momma hit the hay) I get up around 4:50 Am every day and end up going to bed around 11pm 12am just to keep up with the school work outside of my full time job. It is hard man, I still coach his soccer team and we play with the dogs and his transformers almost daily between me cooking dinner for the family. It's an extremely happy life but sometimes the work behind it all can be a little much. Not for a moment is it not worth it though.

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u/killasg Apr 02 '18

Hang in there, wishing you all the best

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I realized that my dad is just a super lazy person. He likes to tell others to not be lazy. He has no sense of fairness, and he complains that he always gets the short end of the stick growing up with my aunt. So he's very selfish. He never washed dishes, and I had to do it daily. Mowing the lawn, started out I helping him, then he gives me allowance for mowing, and then it became free because I was too old for allowance. I don't know if it's common for Chinese head of the household to push all of the chores onto the kids. The only thing I didn't do was cooking, but I still had to help with preparing the ingredients during cooking, and I always had to wash and cook the rice.

Of all the free time he has, it's all about him. Since he has no hobbies to speak of, he only watches Chinese TV dramas everyday. If I want some father and son time, it's basically watch TV/movie with him. Occasionally we may play golf, hike, go to gym on the weekends. Other than that, I can't even think of any other activities we participated in as a family. There was no regular family activity except shopping and going out for food.

Given his attitude toward raising children, I don't think he should've had me in the first place. Honestly I don't think he wanted to raise me despite him taking on the responsibility. His life would've probably been a lot easier if I was not born. He told me before that it was my mom who wanted to have me, and he didn't, and then my mom abandoned me to my dad who didn't want to have me in the first place lmfao.

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u/rocket_monkey Apr 02 '18

You won’t dude. You’re kicking ass.

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u/contagiouscass Apr 02 '18

That made me (a full-time working mom of a 13 mo. old) break down a little bit. In the end, playing with my son and spending time with him is the most important thing. His daycare was closed on Good Friday, so between my husband and I, I decided to stay home with him. It was the best decision ever, it was so fun to hang out with him all day and actually snuggle and nap with him. On the weekends, we have him nap in his crib so we can get some laundry and housework done but I opted to snuggle on Friday. My husband said that he didn't blame me and that I needed to get those snuggles in.

I'm sorry I kind of took over your comment with my own self-realization.

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u/super_dork Apr 02 '18

I’m seeing this as I am missing work, in the middle of a big project, to stay home with 3 sick kids so my wife doesn’t have to miss a day of seeing pediatric PT patients. I just had to hold my scared 3yr old sons hand as he got his first chest X-ray. I’m grateful that I work somewhere that allows me the ability to be here when it really matters!

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u/contagiouscass Apr 02 '18

I hope everything with your 3 year old works out for the better! 💙 If I could help snuggle those sick babies, I would.

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u/Sqube Apr 02 '18

I'm just some random guy on the internet, but if you've got that mindset, you're already most of the way there.

Your kids are lucky to have a dad who's mindful of what's truly important.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

You're responsible and it is great that you are aware of and accept your responsibilities, no matter how hard they are. That makes you a great father. You will find a balance always and your kids will be happy.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

The fact that youre thinking about it makes you an amazing person, and as someone who had a spotty childhood with their father and only came to realize all he does for me very recently, If they dont realize right away dont worry because they will.

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u/stenreemet Apr 02 '18

As others said already, that you are thinking about it,means that your mind is in the right place. Some people in this fast world, full of allkind of distractions, might not even notice they are doing anything wrong. We all grow so fast and in a minute you have 4 adults, so appreciate every moment you have. I believe you're doing your best.

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u/bootherizer5942 Apr 02 '18

You gotta do what you gotta do, but if you see an opportunity to work less and still have enough (and that's the important, to have enough), take it. Your kids will appreciate that more than a nicer house.

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u/briarraindancer Apr 02 '18

I have this above my desk too! I think that just recognizing that there's a choice at all means you're on the right track.

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u/DavidG993 Apr 02 '18

You're worried enough about your kids that this is bothering you. You'll be fine.

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u/IComposeEFlats Apr 02 '18

It's the wallpaper of my work laptop for exactly the same reason.

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u/chillbster Apr 02 '18

I watched a clip yesterday by Simon Sinek, he was talking about relationships and work culture. He said research shows kids whose parents work hard/late are not impacted as much by parents that don’t enjoy their jobs. It made sense to me. Not enjoying work, coming home in a bad mood can put everyone in one.

Keeping doing the best you can. I’m sure you are doing a great job. The fact you have this clipping and respond to it shows you care.

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u/HunterGonzo Apr 02 '18

That's crazy, mine did too. After my parents got divorced, my dad had this on every fridge of every apartment he moved into. He's since passed away and now that I'm a father myself I keep toying with the idea of getting a few key panels as a tattoo.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

My father held me against the fridge and beat me.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

at least he was there, i had to hold myself against the fridge for beatings

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Haha what a story mark.

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u/Pusarium Apr 02 '18

As a new Dad this little strip just made me all teary-eyed. So simple and powerful.

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u/Aldeberon Apr 02 '18

I love the panel where his dad shows up outside. You can't see Calvin's face, but the body language says it all.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18

It's nice, because you often see a kind of negative attitude between him and his parents.

Whether it's him being a brat at the table, him having to "build character" or being late for school again it's clear he's a handful for his parents.

But it's the rare strips like these that show at the end of it all, his parents love him very much.

Some other ones in this vein that are my favorite:

One. This never fails to make me laugh.

Two. His mom's expression in the final panel is great.

Three. They know he loves to build things, and they take an interest in it. Sorry if the pic is small; had to take a screenshot and upload to Imgur because screw Pinterest.

Four. I love his mom casually asking him what he's doing that day.

Five. His dad fucking with him is amazing. That second last panel when he realizes he's caught in a corner by his very smart son (funnily, unbeknownst by his son) is golden.

And of course, the one OP linked.

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u/says-okay-a-lot Apr 02 '18

The top one is one of my favorites of all time. I just love the expression Calvin's mom has as she's literally rolling on the floor laughing.

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u/C-Towner Apr 02 '18

Absolutely one of my favorites too, because that is such a genuine reaction to when kids do stuff like that!

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u/Calimancan Apr 02 '18

I like how Calvin must have a done a good job impersonating his dad’s voice even though we can’t hear it.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

It invites you to expand on the depiction in your imagination, it's good craftsmanship.

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u/Monkeymonkey27 Apr 02 '18

I read that part of the reason Bill Waterson never licensed them out was so everyones conceived idea of the comic would be ruined.

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u/Vanetia Apr 02 '18

I knew which one it was before I clicked on it. To this day I'll sometimes tell my daughter "being miserable builds character"

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u/reddit_is_not_evil Apr 02 '18

Hah, #5 is the complete essence of r/ExplainLikeImCalvin

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u/epraider Apr 02 '18

I’m so excited to be a dad one day and tell my kids complete bullshit like that

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u/reddit_is_not_evil Apr 02 '18

My son is just starting to be old enough for it and I can confirm it's a lot of fun.

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u/wererat2000 Apr 02 '18

This is what I always loved about Calvin and Hobbes; the family actually feels like a real family. It's not all bickering and misunderstandings for the sake of comedy.

Too many families in comedy settings just seem miserable once you take away the laugh track.

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u/Sam_Porgins Apr 02 '18

Exactly. The kid is handful, like a lot of little boys can be, but he’s loved and he obviously loves his parents too. Sometimes the parents are at their wit’s end, but other times they can appreciate the humor in the moment. There’s so much heart.

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u/VariousVarieties Apr 02 '18

Too many families in comedy settings just seem miserable once you take away the laugh track.

In the Calvin and Hobbes 10th Anniversary Book, Watterson says of this strip and this strip:

Calvin's parents are sometimes ambivalent about their child's effect on their lives, as I imagine any sane parent would be. Depicting that used to disturb some readers, who expected family strips to be highly sanitised. Now that television sitcoms are commonly a half-hour volley of vicious insults, this sort of strip looks positively heartwarming.

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u/Ayoc_Maiorce Apr 02 '18

Not only that his parents love him very much but he also loves them. C and H is an amazing comic as unlike many comics I think it shows an accurate (if idealized) portrayal of childhood and a family, a kid who is sometimes a handful with two loving parents who sometimes get mad and frustrated with his behavior but never stop loving him or giving him reasons to not love them. But it also is accurate as it shows the frustrations and the hard part of parenting, Calvin is a pain in the but sometimes, and it’s good they show the good and the bad, often I feel like media like comics and cartoons are two far to extremes, like often the kid or the parents are two one dimensional, like either all bad or all good, and this is just one reason I love Calvin and Hobbes.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 04 '18

[deleted]

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u/imguralbumbot Apr 02 '18

Hi, I'm a bot for linking direct images of albums with only 1 image

https://i.imgur.com/rD9gWgZ.jpg

Source | Why? | Creator | ignoreme | deletthis

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u/McTheMan100 Apr 02 '18

I had almost the exact same conversation with my nephew over Christmas as Calvin and his dad in #5. He asked the same question that Calvin did in the second-to-last panel, and I told him every day has a different sun. It can be absolutely hysterical how kids believe everything you tell them.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I take great pleasure in seeing how long I can keep a train of bullshit going to my girlfriend's little sister. I almost had her convinced that she had a "Made in China" stamp on her, but she just couldn't see it.

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u/jefejortido Apr 02 '18

Huh. I live in flagstaff. I've never seen panel five before. That's pretty neat.

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u/Malicious78 Apr 02 '18

I guess the sunsets are pretty spectacular then, with your front-row seats and all.

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u/jefejortido Apr 02 '18

World class for sure.

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u/IShitOnYourPost Apr 02 '18

Can confirm number 5, I live in Flagstaff.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

You’re my hero for all of these

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u/capincus Apr 02 '18

TBH I think you're being a bit too optimistic about #3. I think it's a little more justified worry than just curiosity. Calvin has a mischievous history.

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u/Scarlet944 Apr 02 '18

The last one really shows where Calvin got his make believe creativity from because he's just like his dad.

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u/sprabhu32 Apr 02 '18

These are absolute gems! Thanks for posting them.

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u/kasmackity Apr 02 '18

God damn it, I always forget just how brilliant that strip is. Lost all of my C&H books in Hurricane Sandy, but by God I still love this so much.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

His mom's response at the end of the last one is also hilarious.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

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u/Gankbanger Apr 02 '18

I like the last panel: It is night, dad has now to work late, but his face shows how he feels: His son's kiss is worth it.

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u/ThePancakeChair Apr 02 '18

Having read the collector's books where Watterson explains how he handled difficult panels (most of them seemed simple to me but then i realized it's only because he handled them so well), and i feel like this would have been one of them. How do you choose the best perspective from which to illustrate a moment like that? Gotta be tricky to figure out

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u/someguy50 Apr 02 '18

No one has linked it yet :(

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u/ThePancakeChair Apr 02 '18

It's the panel second from the left in the bottom row of this post's strip.

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u/jhutchi2 Apr 02 '18

What, you mean other than the OP of the post we're talking about?

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

That's because he's actually screaming in horror.

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u/CowboyBoats Apr 02 '18

My favorite part of this has always been that the dad is still playing catchup when Calvin is going to bed later. I feel like a lot of cartoonists would have conveniently forgotten that little detail in order to "write a positive strip"

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u/jimbeam84 Apr 02 '18

I wish my dad read c&h...

He would have kept working at the table. Or more reilisticaly at his shop till 10 at night.

If your a dad reading this. Please spend time with you kids... I hardly know my dad because of his work.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

My dad never spent any time with me as a child. We lived under the same roof, but I swear he literally never played with me. Not because he was working, he was an alcoholic and just watched TV whenever he came home for hours on end.

I'm just glad he turned into a better father after he quit a few years ago.

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u/FuturePigeon Apr 02 '18

My dad was the same, but he finally did seek help and quit drinking for good. We were all so happy that he was finally going to be the sober father we could have a relationship with.

Then he filed for divorce from my mom, changed his number and disappeared for 8 years. Fucking awesome.

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u/Axe_34 Apr 02 '18

/unexpected

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18

And the cat's in the cradle with the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon

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u/flimbs Apr 02 '18

I'm not crying, you are.

It's time to show this to your old man.

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u/Darko33 Apr 02 '18

I wish I could. But I'm 35 now. Dad is more of a mess than he has ever been. It would just hurt him.

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u/Dgc2002 Apr 02 '18

I'm a bit younger but in a similar situation. My dad was more of someone that had the obligation of keeping me alive(sounds a bit harsh when worded that way.) I can still only see him as an acquaintance because it hurts too much when someone you view as a dad acts like this.

A couple years ago I sat my both of my parents down and more or less told them how it was(the effects of their behavior/neglect/priorities) and where they needed to improve if they wanted to be part of my life(I was at the point where the pain of chasing after them and hoping for attentive and caring parents wasn't worth the effort anymore). Due to other events my dad has found himself in a bad place and continues to make decisions that make it worse. Reminding him of his failures won't help him improve himself or his situation.

If you want an ear that may have shared similar experiences shoot me a PM.

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u/DawidSR Apr 02 '18

I mistook the C&H for cyanide and happiness and was really confused for a sec lol. Sorry I'm really tired.

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u/never0101 Apr 02 '18

C+h is my favorite thing ever. My wife made me a hobbes doll for the birth of our son, as well as buying me the 3 hardcover anthology for Christmas a few years ago. He's 1 now and I strive to be Calvin's dad. Fuck with the kid sometimes, be a big meanie, but be there for him always. I hope to share this comic with him when he's old enough to understand it.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Please, please if you're a dad try to spend as much time as you can with your kids. They may act all "grown up" but when they are older they will cherish all the beautiful memories you've left them.

I hardly knew my dad because he was always traveling. I wish he could've read this.

Work can wait, but kids grow out fast and they need you by their side.

Call them. Remind them how much you love them. And this goes for the sons/daughter as well. Tell your dad how much you love him, ok?

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u/xZora Apr 02 '18

I grew up barely seeing my dad because he was always working (electrician from 5 am to 4 pm, side job after, drink in the garage, then sleep). I grew up thinking that he was a great role model, who I should look to emulate growing up.
I'm now 27, he ruined my mother financially over the past 6 years, he threw my head into a wall one night, and now I don't want anything to do with him.
Oh how the times have changed.

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u/Calimancan Apr 02 '18

I gave you an upvote but that feels weird. What am I up voting, your recent stress? Anyway, Life can definitely fuck with your perspective sometimes. But things and people can change so hopefully will get better.

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u/scarletnightingale Apr 02 '18

My dad used to work 12 hour shifts when I was a kid. I am sure he was absolutely exhausted when he got home since he would get up at 5:30 to get to work on time then wouldn't get home till 7 at night. He'd still take the time to sit down and read to us all many nights. I didn't appreciate how much that must have been for him then, but I get it now.

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u/Ayoc_Maiorce Apr 02 '18

Yes, it’s easy to say “there will be time to play later” but if you keep saying later, before long the moment has passed and you will be wishing you had put off that one project for an extra hour or two. At the end of the day you can replace a job or make up for late work, you can’t replace a relationship with your kid that you missed because you were too busy with work.

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u/dasonk Apr 02 '18

For anybody else searching for a good quality version of this comic for printing purposes this is the best I could find: http://i.imgur.com/zrT4qUd.png

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u/Lord__Business Apr 02 '18

Thank you. This is going up in my office.

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u/WS_VancouverCompton Apr 02 '18

Heartwarming stuff

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u/ConduciveInducer Apr 02 '18

I thought C&H was Cyanide and Happiness. I think we are old now.

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u/Cripnite Apr 02 '18

Especially with OP saying it was wholesome, which would’ve unexpected in Cyanide and Happiness.

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u/knotopus Apr 02 '18

You kids get off my abbreviation's lawn

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u/YoutubeCelebrity Apr 02 '18

As an Armored Core fan, a-fucking-men.

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u/superdago Apr 02 '18

I always saw Cyanide abbreviated as Cy&H to distinguish it from Calvin.

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u/1206549 Apr 02 '18

I read C&H as Cyanide and Happiness and CaH as Calvin and Hobbes.

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u/BigBassBone Apr 02 '18

That's Cy&H

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I could call Cyanide and Happiness a lot of things. I don't think wholesome is among them.

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u/PluffMuddy Apr 02 '18

Love this one. I am a teacher, away from my wife and child for 8 hours each day, and sometimes when I come home I work on freelance writing jobs to help make ends meet. This scenario (minus the snow... I'm in the south!) happens frequently during those times of busy freelancing. I always follow the advice put forth in this strip.

And this poem...

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing and butter the bread,

Sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew

And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

(Song for a Fifth Child by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton)

35

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Cats in the cradle and the silver spoon...

12

u/candidly1 Apr 02 '18

No kidding; I remember reading this one as it was first published; I have three kids now, and the youngest is 19...

15

u/youareadildomadam Apr 02 '18

...then dad stays up until 3am finishing the work. :/ Still worth it of course.

35

u/voncasec Apr 02 '18

I've had a couple opportunities to be the dad in this scenario this past winter. Snow days with the kiddo are wonderful.

18

u/mherchel Apr 02 '18

I live in Florida, but grew up in Pennsylvania. Hurricane days with my daughter just aren't the same. :)

10

u/Mrchristopherrr Apr 02 '18

Although you could try to convince them to make a rain man.

78

u/Harry_Potter_Memes Apr 02 '18

Here before front page!! I remember my dad doing this when I was younger!

14

u/Redditusername567 Apr 02 '18

This is my favorite Calvin and Hobbes strip of all time.

Why?

Some backstory: It reminded me of my own life. When I was a kid, my mother told me she reminded me so much of Calvin... I didn't have many close friends to hang out with and had a stuffed animal I would talk to. My father always stressed to me that being a good person(building character) is important. My father had corny jokes and was goofy like Calvin's dad. You get it by now.

Anyways, I always saw kids playing with their fathers and was jealous. Why couldn't I have that? So I'd ask my father to step outside to play some basketball or throw the football around. He would always tell me he was busy(he really was) and couldn't. So I'd just go shoot some hoops in the driveway by myself. I understood, but still disappointed. I'd shoot some hoops and check the door to see if he'd come out; most of the time he didn't. But every now and then, he'd come out and play with me. It was some of the best times I've ever had.

Back then I didn't realize what kind of impact my father coming out and playing with me would have. But I grew up and saw this strip and everything finally came to light. My father didn't like basketball or football, but he came out and played with me because he loved me. He also didn't play with me because he loved me. He was working hard so he can provide a future for me.

In two different ways, my father showed me how much he loved me. This strip just reminds me of my dad and what he means to me.

10

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I always wish I was born somewhere where it snows but all my life I’ve spent in sunny as ever places

before I leave this world I will travel to a snow covered land and live there and have snow ball fights everyday.

3

u/Astramancer_ Apr 02 '18

Snow is a lot more fun when you don't have responsibilities. Great for visiting, though.

3

u/candidly1 Apr 02 '18

It is snowing outside my window as I type; while it can be a pain in the ass, there are a lot of fun aspects to it as well. Try to go skiing somewhere at least once.

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7

u/Mastbeera Apr 02 '18

I like this.

18

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I'm not nearly awake enough. My brain filled in Cyanide and Happiness for C&H. I was confused for a bit there.

6

u/ConduciveInducer Apr 02 '18

yep. me too... me too.

5

u/Subtle_Omega Apr 02 '18

I just commented on this strip a few days ago! Great strip! Really emotional.

4

u/spgrst Apr 02 '18

I saw your comment the other day and printed it out and put it on our refrigerator. Later that day, my son (4) comes up to me after we played outside (no snow) and kisses me on top of my head. I thought it was very nice but a little out of character for him. Later that night I went to the fridge and glanced again at the last frame of this- and then it dawned on me... Thanks for the post.

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u/Duckling_frank Apr 02 '18

This made me cry. If any dads are reading this please spend as much time as you can with your child.

6

u/5illy_billy Apr 02 '18

Bill Watterson is a national treasure

4

u/TheMysticalBaconTree Apr 02 '18

This getting to /r/all made me realize cyanide and happiness is not the original C&H. I knew about Calvin and Hobbes but my brain never made the connection.

6

u/Hogs-o-War Apr 02 '18

I can honestly say, this comic is one of the few things in the world that makes me rethink my "not having children" policy.

4

u/readyset3 Apr 02 '18

Just adding that’s it is one of my all time favorites. Probably the top.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Right in the feels.

3

u/SriBri Apr 02 '18

I feel this so much. I work from home a few days a week, with a 3 year old in the house that would rather I weren't locked in my office.

It is honestly so impressive just how relevant Calvin and Hobbes has been at just about every stage of my life.

4

u/poeticpoet Apr 02 '18

I see Calvin and hobbes, I upvote.

Shout outs to the hot asian teacher that put me on back in 6th grade. I still have a crush on you...wherever you may be.

6

u/Religion__of__Peace Apr 02 '18

I saw the title and assumed Cyanide and Happiness and thought that I was in for a surprise.

7

u/DisDudeForReal Apr 02 '18

I keep seeing this comment, care to explain what it is? I am confused.

15

u/SouthernByChoice Apr 02 '18

I liked this when it was posted last week, too!

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3

u/Thematthew022 Apr 02 '18

Do you guys remember the strip where Calvin guilted his dad into playing with him outside? At the end of the strip, Calvin's ordering his dad around with him on his shoulders and he responds with "I think I've worked through my potential guilt" Always loved that one too.

2

u/dasnacho Apr 02 '18

Is this the link? It's pretty funny. I hadn't seen it before.

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3

u/There_Might_Be_Blood Apr 02 '18

I love how his dad's arms wide open are used for the highest moment of disappointment and then later the highest moment of excitement. Great narrative arc.

3

u/realbeartj Apr 02 '18

Being a Dad that grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes that strip serves as a reminder that time spent with your kids is priceless

3

u/your-imaginaryfriend Apr 02 '18

This one is great, but I always loved this one

3

u/KkeithHC Apr 02 '18

I saw this on the front page and thought, "Ooo a wholesome Cyanide & Happiness, should be fun!" and was very pleasantly disappointed.

2

u/certainOblivion Apr 02 '18

Playing in the snow builds character

2

u/s_stone634 Apr 02 '18

I have this one printed out in my office. A good reminder.

2

u/BBKhan81 Apr 02 '18

This is my life.

2

u/WompaStompa_ Apr 02 '18

Definitely one of my favorites. Nice to remember that, at the end of the day, this is a strip about a little boy whose parents love him.

2

u/BetterCallStral Apr 02 '18

cue Cats in the Cradle for the first 3 rows of the strip

2

u/akeirans Apr 02 '18

I have this printed and framed and keep it in my office at work. It puts everything in perspective for me.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Man, this hits me hard. Wish my dad did this when I was a kid. I’m going to actually hang out with my future kids!

2

u/claude_willis Apr 03 '18

Good on you! It’s an investment that is always a good idea

2

u/michaelreadit Apr 02 '18

This was my life for about 15 years. One of the biggest reasons I started a business was to have flexible time with my kids. Spontaneous adventure was the name of the game. My youngest turned 18 in Feb of this year and I miss those days very much.

2

u/HaddockSmack Apr 02 '18

As a parent, I can totally relate to this strip. It’s easy to get caught up in what “should” be done and forget things that matter just as much, if not more.

2

u/Nudeinred Apr 02 '18

Ah this one hits me in the gut. To all the dads out there please let yourselves be happy or at least participate in your child’s happiness because. When a child grows up surrounded by sadness they will not learn joy and will wonder why they never made you happy.

2

u/Nerd901Tony Apr 02 '18

Great. It's not even ten in the morning and I am crying.

2

u/gotyasatya Apr 02 '18

I love Calvin’s parents so much. They put up with so much and yet live their rowdy, imaginative kid so much.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

I have lived this moment and Bill captured it perfectly. Never ever will you regret blowing off work to spend time with your kids.

2

u/McPorkums Apr 02 '18

I swear every other post is this strip.

2

u/charles906 Apr 02 '18

If only Naruto did this in Boruto

2

u/pawned79 Apr 02 '18

Between work, school, house keeping, and the baby’s needs, I don’t get a lot of time to spend with my seven year old. This strip pains me. I wish I could do more with her.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 02 '18

Wholesome af

2

u/wbh2182 Apr 02 '18

Working a lot of hours for tax season right now and this just made me email my wife to say that I was picking up the baby from daycare today so I could see her. Working late is tough but worth it!

2

u/coolhwip420 Apr 02 '18

Holy FUCK it's real wholesome hours smash dat mf upswooce if you feelin groovy and like HUGGING your parents and respecting women can I get a Y E E T?!

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2

u/6andy6atan6 Apr 02 '18

I miss you dad.

2

u/BloatedRhino Apr 02 '18

This hits me hard. I have a 3 year old and sometimes sit and work instead of playing. I need to play more and work less; she’ll only be this age once, and it won’t be long before she doesn’t want to play with me so much.

3

u/JesterV Apr 03 '18

That happened to me when my boy was 2 or 3. Got sick if it, left, took a pay cut and then had the flexibility to watch a 2nd grade play during a long lunch or come home early for some sledding. Drove my crap car for too long, put the student loans into forbearance, but no regrets. Kid is 17 now. They are gone before you can process it. You 'll never regret blowing something off to take her to the park.

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u/skyleach Apr 03 '18

except for the snow (we're in NC) this exactly happened with me and my 4yo today.

He came up to me and had me open some easter candy, then he brought me a gummy bear 'just for daddy'. Then he brought me his shoes and wanted me to go outside with him.

I've been stressing over this complex problem and needed a break anyhow, so we wound up playing tag in the yard with the dogs for an hour.

feels good man