Parenting is a struggle through and through. What is harder is raising kids in a multicultural environment like the US, especially when it comes to helping them openly embrace their Latino identity.
For a while now, Latino children are known to develop identity crisis because of the disparity between their background and upbringing. What’s worse, 43% of Hispanic parents worry about their kids developing anxiety or depression.
I faced the same fears while raising my multiracial, multilingual, Latin American children. But after thorough research, I was able to hack raising my Latin American kids to be empathetic, strong, and proud of their roots.
If you are struggling in this regard, hang in there. It is not that hard, it is just a continuous effort. Let me share all the tips that helped me raise proudly Latin American kids who are courageous and empathetic.
Tips for Raising Proud Latin American Children
Raising children away from their origin country makes it hard for them to cope with the difference in their new surroundings. Adopting intentional parenting is your best bet if you are a Latin American parent living in the US. It is important to let go of our natural parenting instincts because our children need more from us. We need to teach them diversity and cultural empathy and to embrace their Latino roots.
1. Find a Community
You shouldn’t be your children’s only point of reference when it comes to cultural exposure. Otherwise, they are bound to feel isolated especially if they go to a public school.
It is important to expose them to ‘their’ people with whom they can belong. A comunidad is the best way for your child to discover their Latin American heritage. You can find a community in the form of a church, a library, or even online. Or better yet, you can ring up your embassy because most cultural organizations are associated with embassies.
Communities often host cultural events, classes, and sessions, allowing your children to interact with other children from the same background. They will also learn more about their history, culture, art, and music through these sessions.
2. Take a Course
If you have a stable internet, you have a world of online knowledge at your disposal. I suggest you benefit from this and sign up for an online course on raising multicultural children. Even if you do not find any Latin American parenting 101, other courses about raising multicultural children will help to reshape your perspective on parenting.
Also, make sure you have a stable internet connection that will facilitate your online learning. Optimum Internet has high-speed internet with a quality connection. You can check out ofertas de Optimum Internet to get your internet sorted.
I took ‘Decolonized Nonviolent Parenting’ from Latinx Parenting. It helped me a lot with conscientious parenting. I was able to raise my kids to have a healthy relationship with their cultural identity. It is a six-week course that covers all the basics of raising well-rounded Latin American children.
3. Speak Española at Home
Language is closely associated with identity. Learning and speaking Española is a foolproof way for your kids to develop a connection with their Latin roots.
I made it a rule to only speak Española when we were at home. I also encouraged my kids to watch movies in Española with English subtitles. It greatly improved their verbal communication. You wouldn’t believe it but by the end of the third month, we were watching movies in Española without any subtitles!
Speaking Española also allows children to acknowledge their Latin roots. Just be mindful that you have open discussions with them to see how are they taking it. School bullying and racial slurs might close them off from embracing their lengua materna. So keeping yourself in the loop is always a good idea.
4. Blast Latino Music Over the Weekends
Latin American singers have the best vocals and beats.
You can introduce classics like Selena, Gloria Estefan, or Carlos Santana. If your child gets bored, you can play songs from young artists like Maluma, Anitta or Rosalia. Playing them when your kids are playing or having fun can make them develop a liking for Latin American music. You just need to be subtle about it. Start with playing a couple of songs and then as they develop interest, you can let them explore the artists on their own. Just make sure all of them are G-rated.
Another way of subtly including Latin American music in their lives is to sing them Latino lullabies and nursery rhymes.
5. Actively Cook Latino Dishes
Food and flavors are yet another fail-safe way of connecting your children to their Latino roots.
I get it, our kids will take pancakes and mac and cheese over anything, but it is important that they try Latino-inspired dishes too. If you are not an expert cook, you can make fusion dishes. You can start with celebrating Taco Tuesdays and vary your taco fillings from hot tenders to even pepperoni. Grilled cheese quesadillas are also another great fusion option. You can be super creative about it.
As your children grow older, you can gradually introduce Latino spices like cumin and sazon and staples like sour cream, corn tortillas, and pico de gallo. Latino food opens up your children to the diversity of Latin American cuisine. I would narrate the history of Latino food like the origin of Tex-Mex cuisine as I would prepare their lunches. It would do a pretty good job of engaging my kids as they are history nerds.
Parenting your multicultural children isn’t rocket science. It is all about taking the Latin American elements and subtly incorporating them into your kids’ lives. Another important thing is to have open discussions with your kids on race, diversity, and culture. Kids are naturally curious, so do not quell their curiosity. Only then will they be able to embrace their Latino roots wholeheartedly.
