The greatest gift
What's in a name?
A name is one of the first things your baby will learn to identify as being a part of who they are, so why not choose a name rooted in your culture? Make the name extra special by choosing one that belonged to a favorite abuela or other ancestor.
Lullaby and goodnight
Let the last words your baby hears before drifting off to sleep be the same ones your mother sang to you in a whisper when you were a child. "Duérmete, Mi Niño," "Arrorró Mi Niño" and "Cielito Lindo" are a few sweet Spanish-language lullabies to get you started.
Traditional dress
Maybe it's a shirt that belonged to your husband, or a hand-embroidered dress that belonged to you, maybe it's a brand new outfit sent by relatives living far away; Dressing your child in clothing with personal or cultural history is a great way to teach them about their heritage. Even a modern T-shirt with a fun Spanish phrase can be special. Remember to break out the camera so your child can look back on the photos in the future.
Story time
There's nothing wrong with "Little Red Riding Hood" or "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"—these stories are part of our child's heritage as an American—but don't forget to mix things up by reading or telling them traditional Latin American stories, perhaps the same ones that were told to you! Here’s a great list of bilingual books to share your culture and heritage during story time.
First foods
In the United States, traditional first foods for babies beginning to eat solids include things such as rice cereal and pureed banana, but these aren't the only safe foods you can feed your infant. In Latin America babies are often given softened, mushed and less spicy versions of whatever the rest of the family is eating. Talk to your doctor about which foods are safe to feed to your baby and how they should be prepared so that your baby develops a palette accustomed to the foods of her heritage country.
Time to play!
Do you remember sitting on your mamá, papá, abuela or abuelo's lap and playing silly hand games? Which games did you play? "Qué Linda Manita" and "Pon, pon, pon" are traditional favorites your baby will enjoy while learning the Spanish words you sing.
