Mamá. A word with so many meanings. From best friend, to confidant, doctor, chef, teacher, personal shopper, and even therapist — mamás truly do it all and play such a key role in the family unit.
In Latino households, moms and abuelas are ever-present and shape so much of our values and identity as we grow up. They love hard and this can sometimes come off as overprotective or overbearing for children. The struggle comes later as we enter our teen years and really start to feel the push and pull of wanting to be more independent and do things on our own, without our mamá hovering over us, while still respecting the rules and structures of the family and her very important role as the matriarch of the family and the woman that raised us.
We see this dynamic play out in Asian families as well, perfectly depicted in Disney Pixar’s animated film Turning Red. The story centers on 13-year-old Mei Lee and we see her internal conflict of wanting to be her mother’s obedient daughter while honoring her true self and dealing with the impending growing pains as she transitions from her childhood to her adolescent stage. Mei Lee deals with all of this with the inconvenient twist being that whenever she experiences extreme emotions, she turns into a giant red panda.
In the story, Mei’s mom, Ming, tries to juggle being an understanding mother and empathetic to her daughter’s struggles, while still setting rules and boundaries that she believes will be best for Mei Lee. This is an experience most moms can relate to, especially Latina moms who find themselves at the center of the household, being both the voice of reason, the emotional support system for their children and families, and in a way, the keepers or tradition (keeping our food, music, customs alive).
Not only do moms like Ming run things at home, but they also hold the family together in a business capacity. In Turning Red, we see Ming run a business where she works with her husband with Mei helping out as well. The only place Mei Lee doesn’t feel the omnipresence of her mother is at school, where she’s free to be herself around her friends, without the cultural constraints that her mom and extended family place on her.
Although this parental force can feel overwhelming at times in multicultural families, as we grow up and become our own person, most of us can look back with perspective and recognize that the values our parents instilled in us have made us who we are today. After all is said and done and the growing pains of our early teens are over, we can appreciate the multiple roles our moms juggle as they strive to raise good kids while also focusing on their careers, marriages, and self growth.
Here’s to mamás who do it all. Make sure to stream Turning Red with your kids on Disney+ this March 11 and remember that no matter how you relate to your mamá, she will always be there for you through life’s scary transitions.
