Parents Latina February/March 2020

Mission: Possible I WAS standing outside a coal mine, peering down a tunnel that appeared to have no end, when I texted my husband, then boyfriend, Iain. “Don’t think I can do it,” I wrote. I had traveled to Medellín, Colombia, on assignment to profile a coal miner who, despite spending 12 hours a day inhaling coal dust, was known for ascending the steepest of mountains as a champion cyclist. The day before, the subject of my story had casually invited me to see his “office,” and now my nerves were getting the better of me. “You CAN do it,” Iain texted back. That familiar nudge got me 300 feet below ground over a decade ago, and it continues to motivate me whenever doubt or indecision creeps in. And while I’m not…

The star doesn’t just play big-hearted Latinas on screen—she’s one in real life too! BY DAMARYS OCAÑA PEREZ Congrats on your upcoming Disney+ show, Love, Simon. This series has been such a blessing! It’s a spin-off of the 2018 movie—I play the mom of the main character, who is struggling with his sexual orientation. For a Latino family to be represented like this is just so timely and important. And I love filming in Los Angeles, where my family lives. Usually I’m shooting in Atlanta or New Orleans, and even the Czech Republic. My kids, Paloma, 10, and Rafael, 8, have gone to school all over the world and adapted so well. Still, there’s nothing like home. I grew up with tons of cousins and want the same for my kids. How do you…

TODDLER THANK GOODNESS FOR FIDO! Not sure that a new dog is worth the extra work? Science suggests that animals can nurture emotional development. A study from the University of Cambridge found that kids have even stronger and more satisfying relationships with their pets than with their siblings. Since a dog’s licks ease the sting of a sis’s snark, the whole familia may benefit from a peacemaker pup. ALL AGES No Borders, No Limits A coloring book without lines? That’s the concept behind Coloring Without Borders, a bilingual coloring book that supports Families Belong Together, a nonprofit committed to ending family separation. Instead of borders to color within, the pages are filled with more than 80 illustrations—from artists around the world—that kids can complete for a creative experience that fosters discussion on the immigration crisis.…

1 When your child asks for a snack, what’s your typical first response? A. “Do you feel hungry?” B. “How could you be hungry already? We just ate something.” C. “Sure. I can give you [insert name of healthy snacks you have].” 2 The last time your child got antsy or bored in public and you couldn’t take him somewhere to let off steam, how did you react? A. I let him use my phone to play a game or watch a video. B. I got a snack and/or drink out of my bag and gave it to him. C. I read to him or played with him. 3 How many times in the last week has your child seen you eat snacks or dessert directly from the package? A. None B. Once or twice C. Three or more times 4 Suppose…

MARIBEL BENITEZ RASCO can hardly remember a time growing up when her immigrant parents weren’t hard at work. Her dad, a cook, was out the door by 4 A.M. and would return home just as her mom, a waitress, left for her evening shift. “As a kid, I didn’t realize adults had normal careers with weekends and nights off,” says the Mexican-American mom. “My parents never turned down an opportunity so that my sisters and I wouldn’t want for anything.” Rasco has certainly inherited their hustle. A trauma therapist, she recently received her master’s degree in clinical and school counseling while juggling a full-time job and raising a 2-year-old son, Noah, with her husband in San Antonio. She worries, though, that the boy, who is growing up with more privilege and…

CHURRO-K BY ME! 1. For the churro, cut a 5½-by-1¾-in. strip from corrugated-cardboard scrapbook paper. Add white glue to the smooth side of strip, and fold it inward three times. Use a rubber band to hold folded strip in place until glue dries. 2. Brush the outside of the churro with glue and roll it in white glitter on a plate. Set on wax paper to dry. Remove excess glitter with a paintbrush. 3. Use template (link below) to cut a cup shape from patterned cardstock, a cup oval from solid-colored cardstock, and a chocolate oval from brown cardstock. 4. Attach cup oval to the top of the cup with a glue stick. Glue chocolate oval to center of cup oval. On a protected surface, a parent will need to cut a slit in…