This weekend my best friend and I were reminiscing about growing up Latina in the U.S. We realized that there are certain Latin traditions that were a huge part of our identity and who we are today that might actually end with our kids! My situation is different from others since I married a Gringo but overall I think many Latinas are finding themselves in a similar situation.
Here are nine Hispanic traditions that my kids are already shedding!
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1. Speaking Spanish: Although my daughter is perfectly bilingual she doesn't speak Spanish nearly as much as I did. My son "peppers" our conversations with some Spanish words.
2. Mealtime: My family would spend hours every day cooking our meals. Latin foods and flavors dominate the type of cuisine we eat but I can't say that I cook from scratch nearly as often as my mom and abuela did! I also find that we are spending less time sitting down and eating together as a familia!
3. The concept of familia: I grew up surrounded by abuelos, tios, primo and we'd constantly have gatherings, at least on the weekends. We're lucky if we see close family every other month.
4. Dancing: This is definitely more of a cultural thing. When I go back to visit Chile or wherever we get together with my Latin family, dancing is a big part of our lives no matter how old you are!
5. A clean and tidy home: I hate ironing so I don't and this is a trait my kids have inherited. My concept of a clean home has definitely evolved! I don't do nearly as much cleaning and making of the beds as she did. I'm sure my kids don't feel the same way judging from the way they keep their room!
6. Visits to "el campo:" When we visit my family in Chile we go to the country. I can't remember the last time my kids have even seen cows, chickens or pigs! I guess that comes with city living!
7. Going to church: We stopped going to Church on Sundays right after my kids got confirmed.
8. Politics: Every discussion and pretty much everything we did had some political angle in my household. I can't remember the last time my kids and I discussed politics.
9. Communication: This one has more to do with time than culture! The younger generation is so consumed by their personal devices, entertainment systems and social pages that I feel that the way they interact with others has fundamentally changed!
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