(Strip Number 1391, Original Publication Date, 30 December 1987)
Panel 1: Over dinner, Elly tells the the kids that they're going to stay home so that the family can ring in the new year together.
Panel 2: This is because she and John have made a mutual New Year's resolution to spend more time with the kids/
Panel 3: Lizzie asks "How come?"
Panel 4: John makes a waspish comment about how most of the parents the kids seem to identify with are on television.
Summary: This is possibly because most of the parents on television don't make stupid speeches about problem hair or being too young to be sensitive and all the other crap John talks. They actually seem to like being parents and don't actively resent children.