Weaving Two Worlds:  A New Parent’s Perspective on Passing Down Latin Traditions

I became a new mother this past spring, and I am filled with both excitement and responsibility. As parents, how do my husband and I pass down the rich traditions that shaped our childhoods? As a Dominican American, I grew up immersed in a vibrant blend of culture, food, and music. Now, I have the privilege of passing those memories and more on to my daughter. However, I am learning cultural traditions are not just about the past. They are an evolving story shaped by my heritage and the traditions my husband brings from his Peruvian roots.

Traditions give our children a strong sense of identity, connecting them to our ancestors, the places we come from, and one another. For my family, Sunday mornings were special. I woke to the irresistible smell of mangú, a savory dish made from mashed plantains paired with pickled onions, fried eggs, and salami. My mother would play merengue and bachata as she cleaned, pulling me into impromptu dance sessions. These are the moments I want to recreate for my daughter, giving her a taste of our Dominican heritage. But it’s not just about nostalgia—traditions like this can help build family bonds and reinforce cultural pride.

Takeaway: Think about the meals you share with your family. Even something as simple as a Sunday breakfast can become a treasured tradition that connects your child to their roots. Food, after all, is one of the most powerful and enjoyable ways to share our heritage.

One tradition I’ve embraced from my husband’s Peruvian family is the color yellow. In Peruvian culture, yellow symbolizes good luck, especially when welcoming a new year or a new life. When our daughter was born, his family sent us a yellow blanket so that she left the hospital wrapped in good fortune. And on New Year’s Eve, the family dresses in yellow to start the year with positivity and hope. These rituals may seem small, but they hold immense meaning. We’ve decided to dress my daughter in yellow for her first New Year’s Eve, continuing the tradition and teaching her the value of cultural symbolism, no matter how subtle.

Takeaway: Find a small tradition or ritual that feels meaningful to your family—a color, a meal, or an activity—and turn it into something your child will associate with love and connection.

One of the most anticipated celebrations in our family is Nochebuena. It’s when our Dominican and Peruvian families come together on Christmas Eve for a feast, a tradition filled with joy and excitement as we spend quality time together and countdown to midnight to open presents. In my husband’s family, we bake alfajores, cookies filled with dulce de leche, and serve panetón, an Italian-inspired fruit bread. These moments in the kitchen are some of the most precious, and I can already imagine my daughter joining us, her little hands helping to roll out the dough one day.

Takeaway: Remember, cooking together isn’t just about preparing food—it’s a chance to bond, pass down stories, and involve children in your culture’s traditions. Even if the recipe isn’t perfect, the experience will be, and the warmth and connection it brings to the family are priceless.

However, traditions evolve, and we can decide which customs to continue or modify as parents. In many Latin American cultures, baby girls have their ears pierced early as a rite of passage. My ears were pierced when I was only a few months old. Yet, with my daughter, I’ve chosen to wait. This decision is rooted in wanting her to have bodily autonomy and make decisions about her body, no matter how small. It’s important for her to grow up knowing she has control over her choices, even regarding family traditions.

Takeaway: As parents, choosing which traditions to pass down is not just a decision—it’s a responsibility. It’s about preserving customs and is also an opportunity to teach children important values like self-respect and autonomy.

Finally, there’s the matter of language. Growing up in the U.S., I didn’t speak Spanish as much as I wished. Now, I want to ensure that my daughter grows up bilingual. Language is a bridge to our cultural roots, whether through books, songs, or conversations with her grandparents. Exposing her to multiple languages at an early age will also open more career and life opportunities in the future, one of the best gifts I can give her.

Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to introduce your child to another language, even if you’re not fluent. It’s a gift that will stay with them for life and connect them to their heritage.

I hope my daughter, like me, will grow up with an appreciation for both sides of her heritage—the Dominican rhythms that pulse through our Sundays and the Peruvian traditions that bring good luck and warmth to our lives. More importantly, I hope she learns that traditions are not just something to follow but something to shape and grow as she carries her own story forward.