Parents Latina

Big News! I WILL JUST blurt it out: The issue of Parents Latina you’re holding in your hands, will be our last. But don’t worry, friends! Much like your ride-or-die, we have always had your back and will continue to do so—now on every digital platform where your device takes you, whether social media, video, or newsletters. While we may be shifting with the evolving media landscape, our aim will always be the same as when we launched seven years ago: to connect with readers and give them a sense of community. From the start, we wanted you to know that you weren’t alone in your mission to raise proud multicultural kids, even if you didn’t see another family that looked like your own within a 50-mile radius of where you live.…

Suki Lopez Is Loving Life on Sesame Street As Nina on the iconic television series, the Cuban American actor and mom of two has learned some important lessons from Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and all herfurry friends. Here, she shares her biggest teachings on—and off—the show. BY JEN FERNANDEZ LESSON 1 Lead With Kindness. “Always come from a place of kindness regardless of the circumstance, even if you’re in a bad mood. Everybody on Sesame Street works with so much heart at the center of everything.” LESSON 2 Embrace Everyone in Your Community. “I’m still the newcomer—everybody else has been there for years and years—and they made me feel as if I had always been part of the family. When I was pregnant with Zoe, they threw me a baby shower. The costume department made a quilt…

LAUGH IT UP Kids are able to appreciate humor as early as 2 months and start cracking jokes and getting laughs of their own from 1 year on, found a study that surveyed parents of children newborn to 4. It’s a good thing too: Humor can boost everything from immune and heart health to mental well-being and creativity. So keep the comedy coming! —DIANA AYDIN PREGNANCY 6 The month of pregnancy when your baby develops their sense of smell. Familiar scents are comforting, so boost your bond by sticking to the same shampoo and body-care products.—ALEKSANDRA MENCEL PRESCHOOLER Try Math Speak The next time you’re chatting with your preschooler on the way to school or while cooking dinner, pepper your conversation with math-related words and phrases, such as more, a lot, some, and fewer. Research from Purdue University…

WHEN THE pandemic hit, Joshua Romo, a Mexican American dad in El Mirage, Arizona, knew he had to do everything in his power to stop his kids from turning into couch potatoes. Beyond outings to a local park, his children, ages 9, 7, and 3, didn’t get out much. So Romo had to get creative, brainstorming ideas that would keep them active and entertained, from long bike rides to Just Dance video-game workouts. “I struggled with my weight as a child, and I just didn’t want the quarantine to lead to long-term health issues,” Romo says. His concerns were well-founded: Over the past two years, kids have spent more time than ever sitting in front of a television or Zoom screen. According to a study in Pediatrics, obesity rates for children…

What to Say About Climate Change … • FOR AGES 3 TO 4 Show your child that the earth is precious. “Walk in nature, and talk about what lives there,” recommends Jill Kubit, cofounder of the climate-focused project DearTomorrow. Then make it clear that the planet needs our help and our actions matter: “We compost food scraps so they turn into soil and help plants grow.” Convey that humans have to work together. “We can talk about responsibility with kids,” says Aaron Bernstein, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrician and interim director of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment. “Confronting climate change is about understanding our responsibility to one another.” • FOR AGES 5 TO 6 Harriet Shugarman, author of How to Talk to Your Kids About…

Vamigas COFOUNDED BY ANN DUNNING “My paternal grandmother in Chile, who came from an Indigenous community, had a little garden in the backyard that she’d use to create tinctures for wellness and beauty,” Dunning says. “This was common of many abuelitas in Chile. Thanks to this tradition, everyone in my family used potent botanicals like maqui and rosehip on their skin.” Those plants became the basis for Vamigas, which sources ingredients that are good for skin and the planet. “We didn’t see Latinas reflected in the clean beauty industry, even though ingredients from our homelands are behind so many products and trends. We’re proud to be part of this new wave of representation,” Dunning says. HER MUST-TRY: Rosa Mosqueta 100% Certified Organic Cold Pressed From Chile Oil for Face and Body ($24; vamigas.com). “Also…