ETA: Actually, it's a reprint that has Rod getting demonized. That's because it has John confess that GROWLing at small children is the only way he knows how to get them to do things.
Panel 1: The problem starts because John tells Mike that it's his bedtime.
Panel 2: Mike says that he doesn't wanna go to bed.
Panel 3: He says it's not fair that he should go to sleep so early when, as far as he knows, adults get to go to sleep whenever they want to.
Panel 4: He wants to John to give him a good reason why he has to go to bed so early.
Panel 5: This fills John with what can only be described as blind, unthinking rage; the idea that anyone, anywhere would question him infuriates the pathetic egomaniac so much that he has to explode.
Panel 6: Said explosion takes the form of an inarticulate shout rendered on the page as "GROWL!!!" It should be noted that it's so fierce, it even frightens his stuffed toy.
Panel 7: Mike runs off to bed so fast, he leaves skid marks on the floor to match the ones Elly will find on his Underoos tomorrow.
Panel 8: As Elly looks at him in annoyance, John justifies his thoughtless action by saying it was the best reason he could think of.
Summary: He couldn't possibly tell the child that grown-ups can't do whatever they want either or that children need more sleep. That would be intelligent and show that he cared about what his son felt.