Parents Latina

editor's letter

One Hundred and Nine THAT’S THE number of steps my family climbs each day to get to our building’s rooftop. Every afternoon around 3 P.M., we put on our face masks and get in line. My husband leads the way, followed by the girls and then me, as we bypass the elevator (and anyone in it) and begin our ascent via the stairwell. Not even Stella, who at 5 years old has a lot of opinions, complains about the climb. She knows full well that the reward far exceeds the effort. This dose of fresh air feels like a much-needed reset in a day spent juggling homeschooling, work, and all the chores that being at home 24/7 entails. We usually lug up a bottle of bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and a ball, but…

#nofilter

CELEB PAPI Karamo Brown Is Keeping It 100 Queer Eye’s resident culture expert, therapist, and single dad of two sons found his parenting groove by leading with honesty. Not many people know you’re Latino! My father is Cuban. Once he came to the U.S. with my mother, who is from Jamaica, he sort of lost his connection to the culture. But growing up in South Florida, I always had pride—there was such a vibrant Cuban scene. But as I got older, I was ashamed I didn’t know any Spanish. My relatives would try to speak it with my three sisters and me and then get on our dad for not teaching us. It made me scared to tell people I was Cuban! How have you connected to your roots since? Mostly through food and music. My…

ages + stages

REMEMBER THIS Loving memories of childhood are linked to a healthier life. Adults who recalled higher levels of affection from their mom when they were kids had better physical health and fewer symptoms of depression later in life than those who remembered lower levels of maternal affection, according to a study in Health Psychology based on survey data of nearly 22,000 participants. —EMILY ELVERU PREGNANCY Keep Calm and Trust Your Doula A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that labor support can reduce the odds of a cesarean by more than 40 percent, most likely because a doula puts a mom at ease, preventing the secretion of stress hormones that can interfere with labor. She can also help you cope with pain and get into a more active labor, which could postpone…

first aid refresh

A MINOR BONK ON THE HEAD DO wrap an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables in a thin towel and hold it against the area to reduce swelling. You can also offer acetaminophen for pain. As long as your child seems like his usual self, just watch him for changes in symptoms or behavior. “Rest is part of the treatment for a concussion, and most young children will need some after even a minor head injury,” says Ethan Wiener, M.D., director of the division of pediatric emergency medicine at NYU Langone Health, in New York City. DON’T give ibuprofen to a child with a head injury. The drug might increase bleeding, which can be dangerous when there’s the potential risk (even if it’s a super-slight one) of a brain injury. GET…

summer in spanish

1 GOTTA-PLAY GAME Lotería gets a kid-friendly makeover with this Lil’ Libros version that builds memory and matching skills and expands vocab thanks to some familiar characters like la sirena, el músico, and la dama. Ages 3+, $20; amazon.com 2 THE LISTEN-TO-ON-REPEAT ALBUM ¡Bailamos! Get the familia on their feet with the Latin Grammy Award–winning children’s album Buenos Diaz from Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. It’s packed with bilingual tunes, such as “Como Se Dice,” an upbeat rundown of words, and “Zapatitos,” which gets kids counting. All ages, stream on spotify.com HOW MOMS TEACH ESPAÑOL “My 10-year-old daughter, Paloma, loves music and dancing, so I signed her up for mariachi band and ballet folklórico classes that are in Spanish.”—Kim Quinteross; San Francisco, CA 3 SING- AND DANCE-ALONGS Lucky Diaz loves grooving to these songs with…

paletas, please!

Avocado Passion Fruit Combine 1 cup water and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium high, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Cut 2 small avocados in half lengthwise. Remove pit and scoop out flesh. In a blender, combine cooled syrup, avocado flesh, ¾ cup passion-fruit puree, and ½ tsp. salt. Divide mixture among eight 3-oz. molds, insert sticks, and freeze until solid, about 5 hours. Dip or drizzle in chocolate (for recipe, see page 22). 244 calories, 24g added sugar per pop "Making paletas is a great way to introduce kids to new ingredients and let their creativity flow!"—FANY GERSON, CHEF AND OWNER OF LA NEWYORKINA, A MEXICAN SWEETS BUSINESS IN NEW YORK CITY Watermelon Strawberry Cut 12 oz.…