Didn't anyone tell you the war is over?

A conversation with Miley the fifth grader.

"I can't stand my Latin teacher," Miley suddenly declares. "She wears the same ugly skirt every day."

She continues.

"And the skirt has pockets."

"I am sure the skirt is pretty to her," I say.

"Hmmmm...well yesterday one of the boys stood up to ask a question and she started yelling at him and calling him rude because he put his hands in his pockets. She said you should never address a group of people with your hands in your pockets because it was disrespectful," she starts to giggle. "But mom she had her in skirt pockets during this entire conversation. And she kept calling him rude and impolite."

"That wasn't very nice," I begin. "It's not polite to bring up someone's bad manners in front of a group."

She nods and I hear an angel chorus. My child understands manners. Praise the Lord!

"Anyway, she's from the North,  so what does she know about manners?"

The music stops and I suddenly feel this little Southern girl has watched too much Ken Burn's Civil War.

"Miley," I speak in a sweet, genteel voice." You do know I am from Ohio and I have manners."

"Yeah, but you've been here a long time. And I think Latin teacher is from even more North like Michigan or New York. New Yorkers know nothing about manners."

"Honey, that' s just not true."

"I've been North mom."

Did I mention Miley licks her food so no one will eat it when she has to leave the table?