Peanuts Begins by Charles Schulz for February 14, 2018

Twelve? How about 49, since he was apparently still at school when the strip ended?

That’s certainly how it felt sometimes.

You think that’s bad, Charlie Brown? Wait until you have your first soul-sucking job that you have to stay at for 20, 30, or 40 years before you can retire!

That sums up the way I felt about it.

Me, first day of first grade.

Given everything he’ll get put through, Charlie Brown’s reaction is very appropriate.

Charlie needs some new friends.

Cheer up Charlie Brown—you may get a Valentine today from the little red-haired girl! ❤️

I think this is the strip where Charlie Brown made the transition from a cute ordinary little boy to the basket case we eventually came to know.

When my niece turned 5 and was starting “Big Girl School” she was really excited. I told her “Enjoy it, because for the next 60 years you’re going to be getting out of bed before you want to, to go to a place you don’t want to go, to do things you don’t want to do. The whole time you’ll be hoping that you live long & healthy enough to enjoy a brief period of retirement before you kick off.”

My sister (her mother) said “Don’t tell her that!!!”

A few months later my niece came to me and said “You were right, Uncle Carmen!”