katlaughing, thanks again for posting a link to your essay on teaching children critical thinking skill (the hyperlink is in the 16 Mar 09 - 10:32 PM post to this thread).

I particularly like your points that "Children's minds are like sponges; they soak up everything they see and hear without discernment for reality. They need guidance and discipline; to be taught critical thinking skills and non-violent means of resolving their differences or grievances."

Thanks also for sharing your daughter's reaction to the "your Mama wears combat boots" taunt.

I don't recall any taunts about combat boots, but I do recall when my children were growing up in the 1980s and early 1990s that one taunt was that some kid was wearing "brogans". I'm not really sure what "brogans" look like, but I know that the person saying it was "rippin'" on another person and saying that her/his shoes were cheap.

I thought of that when I saw the word "brogans" in some African American folk song in some Mudcat thread (I can't remember which thread or which song). But I recall that the singer was bragging that he had some brogans and-at the same time-the singer was putting down people who didn't have any.

How times change and also how times stay the same.