I might be biased, but I truly believe most Latine parents give the best life lessons. For instance, I always knew I could go to my mom for things I was having issues with and she would tell me what she thought in a caring yet brutally honest kind of way.
And since a lot of Latine parents love to give advice to their children, I asked the BuzzFeed Community: What is the greatest life lesson you have learned from them and why has it impacted you so much? Here's what they had to say below.
1. "Having confidence. My mother moved from Puerto Rico to a small town in Oregon in the '70s where she was the only person of color. While she has a few stories of racist remarks, she never really thought of race as holding her back. She approached everything she did exuding confidence and acted like she deserved everything she went for, even when she may not have felt that way on the inside all the time. What resulted was an incredibly successful teaching career where she was beloved by generations of students that name her in sparking their interest in other cultures and creating a network of friends across the state."
2. "I was co-raised with my grandparents (multi-generational home). My grandfather told me from the time I was old enough to comprehend that 'You never rely on a man for anything.' Here I am, almost 30, and I never relied on a man for anything. Women, get your own money, get your own house, and pay your own bills; I don't have to ask my partner for anything. I have my own money and if anything were to happen, me and my kids would be fine financially."
—Sam, 29, Texas
3. "Never put your purse on the ground. You will lose money."
4. "Fight against the machismo. I identify as a woman. My Tata (grandfather) helped raise me and he sat me down one day and said that I was smart, and to be proud of my mind and always remember that if I get into a relationship with a man, to never let him change me or make me feel like I can’t be as smart (or smarter) than him. It’s something he saw in Mexican men but also in men raised in the US. He saw this trait in my father and knew I saw it, too. This applies to everyone and all relationships. I’ve had to give my friend permission to be themselves at times. His words helped me leave a relationship with a white man who wanted his partner to be subservient and who openly assumed I would be because of my ethnicity."
"My grandmother didn’t have power in their marriage at the start, but pushed back and taught my Tata a powerful lesson. He respects her so much now, and she runs the show in many ways. He wanted to prepare me to demand what I’m worth and demand dignity and respect. And never settle. It was impactful coming from him because he has regret and wanted to make sure the lesson he learned was passed on."
—Anonymous, 37, Massachusetts
5. "The importance of education. My dad has several post-grad degrees and my mom went back to finish her studies while I was growing up. Many of my aunts have advanced degrees as well. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people who value learning and using it as a resource to get ahead in life. I’m starting grad school this fall with my tuition paid for and will be entering a high-demand field with excellent starting pay. I couldn’t have done it without my family’s support!"
6. "The importance of never forgetting your roots. I moved to the US from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when I was 10. My parents insisted that I spoke Portuguese at home and kept reading books in Portuguese because they were scared I would forget how to speak my native language. On the other hand, my sisters made sure I listened to Brazilian funk and knew Brazilian slang. At first, I was a bit annoyed because I had to use two different languages every day but after a while, I also became terrified of losing my culture and began to really appreciate what my family has done to preserve the culture I grew up in."
7. "Treat everyone with respect. My father worked for years as a hospital janitor — and before that, he was one of countless Micky Mouses at Disneyland while he learned English and worked to pursue a career in medicine. He eventually became a leading oncologist at a major hospital through hard work, some incredible mentors, and luck. Growing up, he told us so many stories about the disrespect and racism he faced just because of his skin color, his job, and his language ability. But he also told us about the people who treated him with respect, who treated him like a human, and found out he was so much more than first appearances may suggest. My sisters and I grew up learning to treat everyone with respect and decency — not just because it’s right, but because humans are so much more than what they may appear to be and that kind of kindness and decency can have real ripple effects for a person."
8. "My Cuban mother and abuelas always told the granddaughters: 'Mejor sola que mal acompañada,' which means: 'Better to be alone than with bad company,' and that always resonated with me. If I prefer solitude in a relationship then they are not the one for me. This is also the case with the toxic machismo that our mothers and grandmothers dealt with and didn't have the option to be alone due to their circumstances. I do quite well for myself and don't need to settle in order to have security, which many women before us didn't have the option to do so I get to be alone and happy!"
—Anonymous, 41, Florida
9. "My dad, Antonio, has taught me to take up space. Growing up in Maryland, there was a place he loved to take me to get burgers. Every time we walked into this place, I felt out of place...like I did not belong. Maybe it was because we were the only brown people every time we entered this middle-of-nowhere gas station/diner or because of the looks and the slurs we would hear. Regardless, I loved the burgers, but the ambiance drained me even as a child. My dad knew I was uncomfortable going there, but we also enjoyed our time together so on our drive there, and while we sat there eating these amazing burgers, he would remind me that I belonged, even when I felt like I did not."
10. "The first was what my mom taught me to say when I started kindergarten: 'When people ask you if you’re Spanish, you say, ‘I speak Spanish but I’m Puerto Rican.’' I’m proud of my background and I’m not going to call myself by the colonizer’s name. It was also one of the first things I learned to say in English, so it really stuck with me. Two: 'No one is better than you and no one is worse than you either.' My grandmother told my mother this and my mom passed it on. It’s such a good reminder to respect everyone and to demand respect in return."
—Frances, 40, Puerto Rico
11. "I've learned that unlike them, I do not want to continue the cycle of generational trauma and abuse."
