Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Spotify
Note: This blog post accompanies Episode S7E4 of The Latina Mom Legacy, where Janny Perez sits down for a mini case study with Maddie Welch, Boricua educator and mom of two grown bilingual children. Whether you’re far from your heritage country or navigating mixed-language partnerships, you’ll find inspiration and practical tips to make your family’s bilingual journey thrive. ¡Vamos!
Show Promos You Don't Want to Miss:
Check out Fiesta musical - En Casa by going to www.cybconline.com. Use our special promo code MILEGASI and you will get 10% off the course at checkout.
What if you don’t fit the textbook definition of a bilingual family? In this episode, Maddie shares her real-life story of building a bilingual home in a non-traditional, mixed-heritage setting. Learn actionable ways to boost Spanish at home, create your own community from scratch, and let go of the pressure of perfection.
Timestamps & What You’ll Discover
01:53 – One Parent, One Language? Or Learning As a Family?
Maddie discusses her family’s approach: why they skipped the “one parent, one language” rule, how her Anglo husband participated, and the role intentional modeling played.
02:53 – Building Community From Scratch
Find out how Maddie created a Latino and Spanish-speaking environment—at school, at home, and even by starting her own after-school programs—when there wasn’t one nearby.
04:00 – Overcoming Challenges & Laying A Lasting Foundation
Maddie and Janny reflect on realities like raising multiples, maintaining language, and how expectation-versus-reality plays out across different heritage languages (Bulgarian, Spanish).
07:47 – How Language Goals Can Shift Over Time
Both hosts describe how every family’s bilingual goals are different, and why being flexible, persistent, and forgiving is so important.
10:04 – Recap: 4 Bilingual Parenting Truths
Janny sums up Maddie’s advice: there is no one way, you can build your own community, connection matters more than perfect grammar, and the path grows with your kids.
Quick Bilingual Parenting Takeaways:
- There’s no “one right way”—sometimes it’s about everyone learning together.
- Community can be built intentionally, even if it doesn’t exist yet.
- Progress > perfection—persistent, loving effort counts the most.
- Your role is to lay the foundation your children will build on.
About Maddie Welch
-
Bilingual educator, musician, and native Spanish speaker from San Juan, Puerto Rico
-
Holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Bilingual Education from Boston University
-
Over 10 years of experience teaching bilingual preschool and elementary students in Massachusetts
-
Founder of Canta y Baila Conmigo, inspired by her passion for music, teaching, and raising bilingual children
Viral Quotes from the Episode
Maddie Welch:
-
“To this day, he texts the kids in Spanish—he really tries, and now he uses Spanish professionally. So I can say that I’ve raised three bilinguals.”
-
“Whatever effort you can put into it is going to pay off. Raising your kids bilingual is not one thing, it’s a journey, and it still is!”
-
“My aim, because I’m a balanced bilingual, was to do as much as I could to raise them as balanced bilinguals…that does not have to be your goal. If your goal is that they have enough Spanish to feel multicultural and to connect with your heritage, then that’s it.”
-
“Community isn’t always inherited. I created that community and worked hard to give my kids reasons to use Spanish, not just with mommy.”
Janny Perez:
-
“Exposure is so important when raising bilinguals or multilinguals. Sometimes you just have to come to terms and work with what you have, and make the best of it.”
-
“Raising bilingual kids is less about perfection and more about persistence, flexibility, and love. Celebrate the small wins and embrace the unique messiness of your family’s story.”
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast
-
Canta y Baila Conmigo– Maddie’s music-based bilingual resource for families. Check out Fiesta musical - En Casa by going to www.cybconline.com. Use our special promo code MILEGASI and you will get 10% off the course at checkout.
How You Can Support & Engage
-
Apply to Be a Guest – Share your bilingual parenting story!
-
Leave a Review – Apple Podcast or Spotify. Your feedback helps more families discover the show.
-
Join the Newsletter – La Lista at Milegasi.com. Get exclusive tips, printables, and updates!
Interested in Sponsoring the Show? Reach an engaged bilingual parenting community. Contact us → Sponsorship info
Connect on Social Media
-
Instagram: @milegasi
-
Threads: @milegasi
-
Podcast Instagram: @thelatinamomlegacy
-
Pinterest: @milegasi
Final Thoughts
Bilingual parenting doesn’t require perfection, just a willingness to adapt, love, and lay the groundwork so you can help your kids navigate their own journeys. Celebrate every step, create your own community, and remember: juntos, we’re creating the legacy our kids will carry into the world.
Dejar un comentario