The Fashionable Minds of Our Kids

So, at the end of the day today, my student teacher and I are standing watching some grade 2's get dressed (7 years old). She exclaims, "Wow, those are some nice boots Michael" and he looks up, grins and proudly says, "They're Airwalks" She laughs and says "do you know what Airwalks are?" Michael shakes his head and says "No, but they are good" At 7 years old, he is already aware of fashion trends and brand names. However, I have that beat. Last week, on one of those colder-then-a-witches-tit days, a grade one student (6 years old) finds herself without mittens. I had already lent out my extra pairs to other students, so suggested we go shopping in the lost and found. She had no problem with this idea (yuk I say!), however, when I pulled out some mittens labeled with a "B.U.M" tag, she scoffed, rolled her eyes and said, "I'm not wearing THOSE mittens, they are from Walmart and my mom says we don't wear their clothes!" Well, excuse me! I didn't know you were so high and mighty that you would rather have your hands freeze off, then wear perfectly good mittens! You are 6 years old what the hell do you know about what you wear and don't wear, and what brand names you prefer?!?! Get back to me in 10 years when it is expected of you to roll your eyes and behave like this! So I smiled and told her it was these mittens or loose her fingers to frostbite and just have little stubs left for the rest of her life, and would she like that? Mittens are mittens and she can "suck it up buttercup!" She took the mittens, although she was miffed about it.....What are we doing to children today??????