¿Cómo estás hoy? Sending you much light and love these days.
Safety. Comunidad. Reclaiming Spanish & Raising Bilingües.
Let’s talk 💛
Yesterday I picked up my daughter and realized they were doing a security pick-up procedure. No kids to be found, just security guards with walkie talkies.
And there I was walking with my happy dog, enjoying almost 70 degrees of beautiful weather, a clear contrast to the serious situation I was walking into.
Everything turned out to be ok, but I’m not going to lie.
It was scary.
Right now the world can feel upside down. With everything going on seemingly everywhere and to everyone, it's easy to get pulled into worry and fear.
That’s why having a support network matters so much, people you trust, and who trust you back. ¿Donde están esas comadres?
As someone who went to high school in a city where bombs, killings (including one of my classmates), and everyday violence sometimes felt like part of normal life, I can tell you there are things we can do to keep ourselves and our children safer.
Here are a few simple habits that can make a difference:
• Teach your children to be aware of their surroundings.
If possible, have your kids avoid tablets, iPads, or phones while you're driving or in public spaces. I like to play landmark games with my daughter, asking her to name signs, buildings, or even car brands. It keeps her engaged with what’s happening around us.
• Practice navigating without GPS.
Try driving somewhere relatively familiar without your phone's navigation or GPS. Can you find your way? Once we lost reception and my daughter was shocked that I could find the highway from a neighborhood I didn’t know. Let’s be real, ¿cuántas veces no te ha dicho el GPS, “You’ve arrived,” in the middle of nowhere.
• Teach your child to look at you when you call their name.
If they’re used to responding while staring at a screen, it can be harder to get their full attention when it really matters.
• Avoid walking or shopping with both headphones in.
If you’re outside exercising or out shopping, keep one ear free so you can hear announcements, cars, or people around you. Benito, Selena, or Shakira will understand ;)
• Create a family safe word.
Call it a safe word, not a secret word. We never want to teach children to keep secrets from or with adults.
• Make sure your child knows your phone number and address.
And make sure you know your partner’s number too, plus the number of at least one trusted friend or family member.
Because at the end of the day, community and connection are part of safety too.
LISTEN NOW
Which brings me to this week’s podcast conversation.
In this week’s episode of The Latina Mom Legacy, I talk with Karina Saucedo about raising bilingual children in the U.S. as first-generation Latinas.
We talk about the effort it takes to stay consistent with Spanish at home, the cultural responsibility many of us feel, and the importance of having people around you who truly understand the journey, and redefining generational wealth.
But our conversation also touches on something many first-generation parents quietly experience:
That moment when you suddenly question your own Spanish.
Next week on the podcast, I’m diving deeper into that question:
“I speak Spanish… but do I really?”
Because for many of us, the story of bilingual parenting also includes rediscovering our own relationship with the language.
More on that soon.
Cuídate y MuchasBendiciones,
Janny Perez
Founder at Mi Legasi
P.S. If you missed last week's freebie, The Bilingual Baby Quickstart Guide Download it HERE.
