Viva la Mami - Latina Motherhood, Modern Parenting, Latina Well-Being

133. How to Raise Spanish-First Kids Without the Guilt with Lucía Garrett

• Jessica Cuevas • Season 5 • Episode 133

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This week, we welcome Lucía Garrett, founder of Pato Pato and the brilliant mind who coined the term "Spanish-first kids." As someone currently raising Spanish-dominant children myself, I was so excited to dive deep into this intentional approach to bilingual parenting. Lucía shares why the Spanish-only stage is so crucial for our kids and how we can stay confident in our choices, even when family members question us or when we feel like we're not doing enough.

For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode133

What You'll Hear:

  • What it means to raise "Spanish-first kids" and why this approach gives Spanish the head start it needs before English takes over
  • How to handle pressure from family, self-doubt about your Spanish skills, and the fear that your kids will learn incorrectly
  • Real tactics from families successfully raising Spanish-first children, including how to handle mixed-language households
  • Why isolation is one of the biggest challenges and how finding your tribe makes all the difference
  • What to do when your kids start resisting Spanish and try to switch to English

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Jessica:

the first three years or four, of a child's life is so crucial if you wanna intentionally raise them bilingual.

Lucia:

I like to call the Spanish only stage, that stage where our children, whether, you know, one parent or both parents are speaking to'em in Spanish only. Yes. As they're growing up, since their babies, are only seeing Spanish, right? So it's right before all the outside influences come in and they start picking up English because when English takes over it does it really fast. And so what makes that stage really crucial, and it is actually research fact, is that what we're doing is we're giving Spanish a head start. once English takes over, Spanish has really strong roots and we're able to carry that bilingualism longer into their lives rather than just doing both languages from the beginning. When a child speaks Spanish first, which is a minority language, I think it's really important that we give its place to the minority language and we give it that head start, so it will stick.

Jessica:

And I think that as they are bilingual, essentially they will be able to identify us that way. It's so important to raise them in just the minority language first. And so, I think with adding that into play and what you've been saying, I think it is very important to, consider raising Spanish only kids. Ola. Ola Miga. Welcome to another episode of the Viva la Mami Podcast. I'm your host, Jessica Cuevas, and today I have a very special guest on the show. Her name is Lucia Garrett. She is the founder of Pato Pato, which is, oh my gosh, I think that it is. So nuanced because it is a community of bilingual parents, um, interactive toys and really great resources that she offers on Instagram. I feel very privileged and honored whenever she tags me in her posts I think that it is very important to build community among bilingual parents because we shouldn't do this alone. And so part of our conversation will be about that as far as with how to raise bilingual kids specifically in the Spanish only stage, which I'm very excited to talk about. Um, because as you know, I'm raising Spanish dominant children at. This time since they're really little and I think there's a very key importance in doing that. Uh, but we're gonna focus on Lucia's business. So Lucia, thank you so much for being on the show. I really appreciate it.

Lucia:

Thank you so much for having me, and like you said, I think it's amazing that, that, you know, I can be here and be part of your community too and, and say hi to the people that follow you and kind of touch on all of these things that we don't have in common. I feel like a lot of the times we feel a little isolated and it's important to know that there are other moms, you know, doing the same thing as us. So it's amazing to be here and thank you.

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Well, Lucia, before we delve into the conversation, if you can introduce yourself to our listeners. Tell us a little bit more about you, where you live, where you grew up, your family, LAA

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

I was born in Argentina, in Buenos Aires. Uh, when I was two, uh, my family moved to Mexico City and so I consider myself Mexican. I'm an honorary Mexican. Uh, every time anybody asks me, you know where I'm from. I'm from Mexico, and so that's, that's my, that's my people. And I was there, um, until I was. 17 speaking. No English, by the way. Moved to uh, LA My dad's in the music business, and so he had opportunities in la Um, and so he took'em. He, he wanted to be out there. He was traveling out there a lot, so we moved there. And I started my senior year in high school, uh, haven't read, uh, the Call of the Wild and all of the class like fumbling my way through the classics in English. And that's the English that I knew, you know. And so I got to school and people talked to me and I had no idea what they were saying. And um, that was really tough.'cause obviously senior year, you know, everybody already has their friends and their groups and their cliques and stuff. And it was such a culture shock too, because it's. All of those things that I had seen in movies, like were real, there were all of these like cliques and groups. And I got lucky that I found a group of Latino kids actually, um, that were, that I became really close with all of them from different places in Latin America, which was awesome too. And I became really close with them and got, you know, got through that last year of high school. Then I started college right away. Um, after college, I. I started working at an advertising agency, which was kind of my dream job and it was an advertising agency that took all of the American clients but translated all the stuff for them and worked with'em in Spanish, which was just amazing'cause I got to work with these really big clients, but doing it in Spanish. So it was the best of both worlds. Um,

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

Yeah.

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

then

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

awesome.

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

met my husband at my following agency and together. we Start our own, uh, event marketing agency, and then we, uh. Shortly after moved to Cincinnati to get married. We got married there. We also had our wedding in Argentina.'cause my grandma was 92 and she couldn't travel. And it was important to me that, you know, my family out there was a part, it's, it's hard with visas and stuff in Argentina to travel out here. And it was important for me that they were a part of a celebration too, plus. Really be able to party out there. You know how it is. It's just different and so much fun. Um, so we had our wedding out there too, and then we were in Cincinnati. We have both of our kids out there and now we, the, the wind has blown us over to northwest Arkansas where we've been for three months. It's been really amazing. It's just a really, there's a lot more of a Hispanic community here, which I love for the kids. I just love that we can go to the park and somebody else is like speaking Spanish to their kids. It's it like, it like makes my heart happy because we were really rural in Ohio. Um, and I, I mean, we were not exposed to that at all. There's just not that much, um, that much of a community out there. So it's been really, really cool to kind of like see the kids. Um. React to that and be a part of that is just really exciting.

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

That's awesome. Well, thank you for sharing your story. I had no idea that you were born in Argentina

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

Yes, I know. It's like I,

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

in Mexico.

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

I know my parents still kind of, my parents still talk like Argentinians, but I never c Mexico, I just never like it never stuck. Like that's just, yeah. Yeah.

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

Yeah, yeah, you were little and, and that, that's what's interesting, but that like, depending on where people are raised and what their environment is, it really makes an impact in terms of like, knows, like their

squadcaster-04e5_1_06-14-2025_091138:

Totally. And even culturally, I mean, I learned, you know, I learned Mexican history, I learned the, I learned all of that from Mexico. So that is, that's just my, it's like an adoptive parent. You know what I mean? That's my country. I, it's hard to explain, but Yeah. Yeah.

jessica_1_06-14-2025_091143:

Yeah. Well, you talk about the Spanish only stage, and I'm very curious. To learn more about that, just because I love how, you know, when you put words into place, you are able to then identify like, oh, this is what we have been utilizing into practice, you know, to, name it or title it. Right. And so I, I would love for you to explain what Spanish only sage means and

Jessica:

why it's so important for Latina moms, um, to utilize this in that period of their kids' lives?

Lucia:

Totally. So I, I like to call the Spanish only stage, uh, that stage where our children, whether, you know, one parent or both parents are speaking to'em in Spanish only. Yes. As they're growing up, since their babies, um, are only seeing Spanish, right? So it's right before all the outside influences come in and they start picking up English because when English takes over it does it really fast. And so what makes that stage really crucial, and it is actually research fact, is that what we're doing is we're giving Spanish a head start.

Jessica:

Hmm.

Lucia:

once English takes over, Spanish has really strong roots and we're able to carry that bilingualism longer into their lives rather than just doing both languages from the beginning. When a child speaks Spanish first, which is a minority language, soon it won't be for you. But right now, right being in the US, I think it's really important that we give its place to the minority language and we give it that head start, so it will stick.

Jessica:

Yeah. That's amazing and, and it makes so much sense and, and I. Uh, the way that I've been interpreting it is like they are Spanish dominant and I just love what, what you're mentioning, like how you're, I don't know if you coined it or whatever, but the Spanish only stage. I think that's really cool and I think that that is so important. Um, Mateo is part of a research study. A part of Loyola University in Chicago. And right now being that we are local, what the researchers do is that they visit us and they do this kind of like, um, session where they record, they inter, they, they record our interactions. They, uh, utilize play-based like, uh, research where, you know, they present some toys and then we like play with the toys and just really understanding how we're interacting with our kids and. Based on their research and right now they're like expanding on it more and they're trying to collect more people, you know, to participate in that research. But based on what they've discovered so far is that the first three years or four, um, of a child's life is so crucial if you wanna intentionally raise them bilingual. And I think that as they are bilingual, um, essentially they will be able to identify us that way. It's so important to raise them in just the minority language first. Um, because as you know, they'll be fully immersed, but it will be easier for them to not forget their language. Um, because then once they start school or once they're out in, in the world, right, they're gonna lose that language. And so, um. I think with adding that into play and what you've been saying, I think it is very important to, you know, maybe consider raising Spanish only kids. Um, I don't know what your thoughts are.

Lucia:

Yeah, absolutely. The, the reason why I thought it was important to name it and, and give it a name is because I see so many moms doing it.

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

most important, and I would say hardest part right of this stage

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

giving into the pressure. Because even, you know, in my own family, my husband speaks English, but my mom doesn't. And she was looking at me when my son was a Spanish, what I like to call a Spanish first kid. Uh, she was looking at me going. And so it's so important. There's so much pressure during that and that's what makes it really hard, as moms. So I think it's important that we give a name and we stay confident in what we're doing, and that's why, uh, I love this online community and I love that we're kind of talking about this because it makes moms feel more comfortable and more, um. Kind of backed, right? And, and give them the answers to give to these family members, friends, people in general, because that everybody has an opinion. And so I think it's important to have the information to know and be confident that, you know what, like this is the stage and I'm going to really embrace this because English will come quick and when it does.

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

Sometimes it's hard to turn back from that. Right? And then you have the handful of parents saying, and so in order to get there, we have to see this through, see

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

through to the other side.

Jessica:

Yeah. I love it. I love it. And, and you mentioned a little bit about mom's. S perhaps feeling guilty because they don't do enough. And I completely agree. Right now I feel kind of empowered, you know, just because we're in this transition of like moving to the motherland, I'm not gonna struggle as much. Now I'm like, oh man, maybe I'm gonna struggle with the English part. And now we're gonna have to reverse our language plan. Oftentimes, a lot of moms feel guilty because they're not doing enough and raising, uh, you know, Spanish dominant kids or even like bilingual kids. Um, or they regret not raising them bilingual. And then as their kids get older, they're like, oh, I missed out. Like, oh my gosh, I did such a poor job. And so. You know, what would you say to a mom that feels guilty about either not incorporating enough Spanish, whatever that means at home, um, or worry that their kids are going to lose their language? What would you tell a mom who's struggling with that bilingual guilt? I,

Lucia:

So first of all, I would say guilt means you care, right? Which is

Jessica:

mm-hmm.

Lucia:

part of it and, and seeing it. Uh, but guilt doesn't move the needle. So we have to do something that really moves the needle. I think there's a big self-consciousness aspect to this. I feel like I need so many moms that like, esp this, or I don't, I mind, it's just not good enough, or they're just gonna learn it wrong. So first of all, I wanna say. there's room to learn, learn alongside your child. If you really feel that, that is one of the things holding you back because you are modeling very powerful language, learning for your child, you're also modeling at the same time how important this is to you. It's so important to me that I'm going to do this with you and we can do it together. Right? So

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

aspect. Another big aspect is if, you are scared or you are worried that they're gonna learn it. to them in Spanish because children are amazing at filling in the gaps.

Jessica:

Hmm.

Lucia:

to them and you said a word wrong. There's cartoons that are going to, if you do, uh, any screen time that are gonna fill in, there's audio content. They're gonna hear it properly. There. There's music. There's other people, right? There are so many opportunities for them to fill in those gaps that saying, well, it's not good enough for them. They're gonna learn it wrong. They're not going to learn it wrong. They're hearing it in action. They're creating a connection to the language. You're making it, you're making it a priority. And they see that priority. See how important it is. And so my, my advice would be, don't let that hold you back.

Jessica:

Yes,

Lucia:

hold you back.

Jessica:

absolutely. Like there's no perfect manual, you know, in raising a bilingual child. Yes, there's resources. Yes, there is a community out there like you and, and me and, and so many other. Um, people that are active on social media specifically, but there's also books, there's podcasts, there's like a plethora of like, resources out there. Like there isn't a specific right or wrong way of raising a bilingual child. And I love that you say that, you know, our kids are able to fill in the gaps, and I totally agree, like more English dominant. I would say since I was maybe 10 years old, you know, because that was all what I was exposed to in, in school. And as you know, you know, kids spend a lot of time in school more than home. And even though we did speak Spanish at, at home, uh, specifically with my grandma when she used to babysit us like she was our caregiver, um. We would mostly speak, you know, half and half, uh, between English and Spanish to my parents because they understood it better. They would still respond in Spanish. And to say that. And now us raising, um. You know, Spanish first Spanish dominant children, you know, it is very hard. I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't even know the word. And so I'm here asking Siri on the Quicks and the Siri is Espanola Castano, you know. And then Google Translate is like, I don't know what Google Translate is, but I, you know, it's cute that my kids get to see that. That they know that I am not perfect. And we're both learning this together. Like the other day we were watching Andre Leon and I was like, oh. And Diego was like, no, mommy. And I'm just like, okay, that's the word.

Lucia:

That's amazing. That's amazing. That's exactly how it's supposed to be, I think at some point. Right? That's, I mean, that's our goal. You know what I mean? And it really comes to show that yes, they do. They really do fill in the gaps. They're really amazing. And I, I mean. As long as you're supporting yourself, I feel like, and kind of relying, we are lucky, right? That we are in an era where we can kind of rely on other resources and we're not doing it on our own. And that's what makes it a complete picture for the child as well, right? And that's

Jessica:

Right.

Lucia:

in those gaps. So I, I absolutely love that at.

Jessica:

Yeah. That's awesome. And can you share some like specific strategies that have worked for you and your family and the families that you've worked with as it relates to raising Spanish first kids? I'm kind of curious,'cause you mentioned that your husband doesn't speak Spanish Veda. Yeah.

Lucia:

No. So I'm gonna preface this by saying, I, I, I always say that the best strategy, is whatever you're gonna be able to do long term. Right. That's gonna be the best strategy for your family because consistency is the best thing for children at the end of the day. So if you know already you're not going to be able to stay consistent, only speaking Spanish, then create those spaces to do that where

Jessica:

Hmm.

Lucia:

you're gonna, like, I'm going to be able to do a bedtime story every night and start there. Right? Don't try to overwhelm yourself'cause you're gonna quit and that's gonna make it much harder for us. Um, I always knew. That I, I wanted the kids to speak Spanish and so I only speak Spanish to my children. That's how I've always done it. I speak it to them absolutely. Everywhere I speak to my children, I always say as if they didn't speak English. That's how I talk to my children.

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

I kind of got stuck in

Jessica:

Yeah, me too.

Lucia:

for them to an extent. Um. And so that's just how I talk to them. My, my two and a half year old is, say, understands English, but he's still in the very early stages of, of English. He's, he's, both of my kids have are chatters, so I'm with logos. Uh, so they both talk from very early age and a lot. But my, my 5-year-old when he was about, I would say three. After he had for very long spoken more Spanish than my husband, like a lot better and a lot more. My husband was not understanding him. Then he took off in English and I.

Jessica:

Hmm.

Lucia:

has, that has been what works for us. I never spoke English. I still don't speak English to my kids. Uh, even at the dinner table, if the four of us are sitting together, when I'm talking to the kids, I'm speaking in Spanish. When I'm talking to my husband, I'm speaking English. I had no idea I did this, by the way my sister visited last week. She speaks both. I struggle with her because she is in, she's doing this thing that I'm, that I'm talking about, which is. She speaks English to the kids in, almost in the fear that they're not going to learn English or like almost in, um, trying to figure out how much English they know, which is really, really interesting. And when we're sitting at the table, she switches to English. And so we, you know, at the fourth dinner we're having, I look at it and I'm like, why are you talking English? And she goes, well, you know, your husband is here. And I'm like. He's fine. Like he, he's picked up a bunch along the way. He gets it contextually. He's fine. And he agreed with me, you know, which was really funny because I never, it's just been such like a, like second nature that I never even realized, like when now that other people are coming in and kind of like addressing the whole table in English, I'm like, huh, I, I never switch with them. so yes,

Jessica:

Hmm.

Lucia:

that stage where. We, it, it's almost heartbreaking where you go to the park and your child is, you know, three and he's trying to make friends and kids in the park. And I had kids look at my kid and go, I don't know what you're saying. Straight up. So I always

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

I always translated for my kid. I always made sure he was,'cause kids at the end of the day do understand themselves somehow. It's, it's more those older kids that are like, I dunno

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

Um. We homeschool. So it's a little different for us in that regard. Um, I have a lot of posts coming up about school, starting in English, how to prepare. I have parents on one hand saying, my kid's starting school in English. Is he gonna lose his Spanish? And then the parents say, my kid's starting school in English, but he doesn't speak English. What do I do? You know? So you have that duality and, and real situations that are coming in, you know, different perspectives on the same situation.

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

in Spanish, so we kind of have that, um, kind of more grace in a sense, right? I can give myself a little bit more grace in the, in the Spanish only stage and kind of extending that as far as I can. but speaking Spanish is what I have done. Like that would

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

The, the biggest recommendation, right? My kids have

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

between me and my husband, and even I have parents that come and say, well, my husband also speaks Spanish. Then where are they gonna hear English? You go to the store, you go to the doctor, you, you, they hear it from the park. They like. I have no concern that

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

are going to pick it up. And once they do, like I said, sometimes it's hard looking back. So really embrace this, really embrace this bubble that they're in at

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

moment, or that you can keep them in. And then once they go out in the world, like it comes really fast. So that

Jessica:

Right, right. Absolutely. And I think it's important to reflect on your own experience too, like as, as a parent, uh, and especially if you are like either first or second generation, like not a couple generations behind where you. Like growing up you were exposed to the language and just thinking about how you've mastered English. And I think that is always like the issue, especially for the older generations where they do worry about the new generation, about, oh my gosh, like no, you know, like they're gonna struggle in school, they're not gonna interact with people well and blah, blah, blah. And it's like, I understand that you're coming from that place because you came to this country outta survival. You know, where you had to assimilate. But now we're in this generation where, you know, we can do a little bit of both or we can focus on Spanish first and then English because their world around them is English. Um, at least here in the us right? And so, um, I think at the end of the day, it all depends what your intention is. And I always talk about intentionality here on the podcast and in this specific topic about choosing to raise Spanish first kids, I think. Honestly, I think for, for us, like we always thought that we would raise em bilingual. So at first when Diego was like a couple months old, we were like, okay, let's, let's translate. Basically. Like I was like, Shu, you know, and I honestly, that was very tiring for me. And I'm like, you know what? I'm just gonna do Spanish only, like, and then we'll see how this goes. And since then, you know, we've only, we've been doing the same thing as you, Lucia. Like we, we are only speaking to our kids in Spanish. They read Spanish books and even the ones, you know, I'm here using my bilingual brain and I'm here trying to translate these books from English to Spanish, which is so hard.

Lucia:

Yes. It.

Jessica:

And yeah.

Lucia:

And I think that's also part of the kind of, let's call it the strategy, right? Kind of surround

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

and, and your home environment with, with as much as you can. Because although there's a lot out there now, we're like big library people and we got lucky that a library not very far from here has a huge selection. And I am, I just, I'm blown away. with the amount of Spanish books, which I'm amazed and I love, but I still, you know, my kids reading chapter books and I am lucky that I have had the practice now to go from all the board books to the early picture books and other chapter books, translating on the fly, because that's sometimes,

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

what you have to do. And

Jessica:

Right.

Lucia:

I am, you know, I can confidently say that my now 5-year-old speaks both languages. Perfectly fine. He speaks to my husband in English, he speaks to me in Spanish, and we have established that, you know, as the language that we speak. And so was my kind of like my main focus and my main intention, right? Like. a Spanish first kid doesn't mean English is last. It just means that intentionally you are putting Spanish first so that you can create and grow those roots. Like I said, because English is everywhere and Spanish comes from you,

Jessica:

Right.

Lucia:

right? So.

Jessica:

No, that's amazing. I, I love it and I'm glad that we, you know, even though it can feel like we're doing a lot. Like of work, there is a lot of, um, like mental labor involved in this. Just the fact that we have to translate books or the fact that we. Are being cognizant of our kids, whether they're gonna be made fun of or bullied, you know, in the playground or like being intentional of like searching for a bilingual community. And so it is very hard that oftentimes mamas, um, that are either raising monolingual children or, you know, that don't wanna raise bilingual kids. Like they don't get to experience that compared to. With us, you know, that we're just on the lookout all the time and trying to figure out what are the best, uh, toys in this case, you know, with what are the best resources, what are the best, you know, um, just like opportunities for our kids to not only be immersed, but to be, to feel like they have a sense of identity too. Right? And, and it is very hard so. What are the biggest challenges that you think that, um, mamas are facing when trying to maintain Spanish at home and how can they stay confident? Even when it feels like it's super overwhelming?

Lucia:

I think one of the

Jessica:

I.

Lucia:

challenges would be the, there's so much pressure and misinformation and, confusion still surrounding this. this stage that I think introducing English too soon is still a challenge. I would say. I mean, you, you were saying it yourself, right? You were translating both because you thought, you know, I'm gonna help'em. Right? And so I think that's still one of the biggest, I'm gonna call it one of the biggest hurdles in getting the finish line, right? So my advice on that would be, see this stage through. Be intentional about it, you through, because it is so shortlived. I mean, we're talking months, right? That

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

are going to be, they're still, uh, gathering English. They're still processing it. They might not be speaking it, but it's all in there. Be patient with them, give them time and they're gonna blow you away. it is key. That we stay the course. Like I tell

Jessica:

Mm.

Lucia:

all the time, just hold on because they're going to shock you. hold on, be patient with them. And the other thing, I think feeling isolated is a big one because for some reason, even in this era of social media, we all feel like we're on this island doing these things like we're talking about. So what you're doing and what we're doing of like creating a community and really making moms feel heard. I think in itself is really helpful. Um, and surrounding yourself, like you were saying by parents that are going through the same thing as much as possible. I couldn't. I mean, I was, like I said, in Ohio, um, and it was tough. It was tough because are a lot of times that there isn't, there isn't even an opportunity to create that. Um, and I had to be. Very, I'm talking like drive over an hour intentional to be able to create those pockets, you know, for my kids. And so I think that's a big one too. Uh, feeling isolated will make you wanna quit at times. Um, but rely on the advice that we're giving you rely on other moms, um, and again, and see it through. It's just, it's night and day difference and it is so

Jessica:

Yeah. Yeah. I love it. Thank you for sharing that. And I think it, uh, affirms mamas that they're, they shouldn't do this alone. That there is a community out there. And even if you don't have a physical community with you, because I get it, like, you know, I have the privilege of being in Chicago, right? This is one of the reasons why we moved from the suburbs of Chicago to the city because of the dual language schools and opportunities that are here now. We're obviously moving at the time of this recording. Whenever we're ready to return, we know that, um, our kids will be in a dual language school, so that means that they're still gonna keep up with the language, um, and then be, immersed in English eventually. But you know, considering that there are. Um, depending on where you live, right there, it can be challenging to find that community. But the beauty of it, that there is an online community, you know, and, and you're very present on social media as well as other mamas that are doing the work in, in the world of bilingualism. And I think that it is so important to seek, uh, that community. Then that's when you feel like you are defeated or you feel like you're not doing enough, you know, all the guilt comes in and, um, but. You know, there's still like a big population of people rooting for you and supporting you along the way. And so that's, that's what I love about this. And for the mama who is listening, who feels like she's like behind or hasn't been consistent speaking Spanish at home to their, what encouragement would you give her? And where should she start today?

Lucia:

So I think bilingualism doesn't have a, a deadline, first of all. Right? So you have moms in all sorts of situations and. Nuances to this conversation as well that like affect, uh, how we pass on our language or whether we do it or not really. Um, but what I would say is if, if you have a, a small child, a baby. Just start, start speaking the language. They're, again, they're not gonna be confused. They're not going to be, if you feel uncomfortable, start introducing it Slowly. Boost small swaps, say 10 minutes a day, start speaking it. I think it's also a comfort thing from the mother's part. A lot of moms I get say, well, I just don't feel comfortable speaking it, or that's just not my, you know, my language of love, they say a lot of the times. And so I. Start small, start a few minutes a day, start in a certain time of your day, right? And the back plan, like I was saying, do a bedtime story and start there and grow from there. As you feel confident, as they feel more confident, start going from there. Um, and if you're not confident, you know, learn alongside your child. Like I said, it's really, really big and. It's, it's just great modeling to be able to learn with something with your child. I mean, like I said, I homeschool and I can't tell you how many things I have to learn. I have had to learn to love bugs, which is a huge one because like that is definitely not for me. Um, and lastly. Pushback welcome because our children will eventually, my 5-year-old who has now learned English is growing and is starting to, uh, count, I'm gonna say try to fit in right in certain situations because socially, children from a very young age want to fit in, right for, for survival. Really, that's how they're wired.

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

so see him start to kind of switch with me and some advice for that would be. Which is huge. Be playful. The same playfulness that we'll bring into parenting when we get resistance. that playfulness into language learning, right? So, uh, something that works really well with my 5-year-old, because he loves robots. switch to English and I'll say, oh. And he immediately kind of like, he laughs and he goes back and sometimes like if I'll be saying something and I'll say an English word, he'll tell me the same thing, right? And so I have an opportunity to kind of like think about the word and then do my full sentence and in Spanish. So again, just those little playful things that really help keep it light because once it feels like a chore and pressure for everybody, then it's just, it's not fun. And so keeping it like keeping it fun and bringing that connection back into language learning, I think is really important because pushback will.

Jessica:

Oh yeah. Right, right. Absolutely. No, thank you for sharing that. And I love that you mentioned that it's never too late and, and, and I think that for. Kids who are either second, even third or maybe fourth generation, like I, they are still exposed in some capacity of like the Spanish language. Whether if they're hearing it from like their great aunts or you know, like their BI or whatever, like they still hear the language and they're still a little bit of bilingualism in them. And. And, and I see this often with my little cousins, with my niece and nephew who are English dominant. You know, they don't speak Spanish. But now that my kids are around and because that's the only language that they know, I mean, Espanol is the only thing that they know. Um, they have to interact with them. And, and it's so interesting seeing my niece specifically because she doesn't speak Spanish. Like, based on my sister's words, right. But when she interacts with my kids, yeah. You know, she struggles, but she understands. And, and I think that's the beauty that even if you feel like your kids are fully disconnected, no, they, they still have it in them, but it just depends on what your intention is as a parent and. And trying to meet them in a way where, okay, well maybe they weren't exposed to Spanish in the beginning, but now how can we incorporate this? Maybe we can watch a movie once a week that's only in Spanish, or we can listen to music on the way to school. Like these are just little things that you can. Implement, even though if you think that your kid has quote unquote lost the language, because I don't think that's true. At least for, you know, us, that like Latinos, for some reason, we love to keep our ura, we love to keep, you know, our music, our language, and that is still that connection with Spanish. I don't know what your thoughts are, but.

Lucia:

No, absolutely, and I think there's also a piece of. Children are always absorbing, right? And they're always acquiring language even if it's in a passive stage. So they might not be speaking it, but I mean, it's a great example. Your niece here who has obviously acquired enough of the language to even put a sentence together, which is huge. So they already have a leg start, you know, that's something she was interested in. There are so many online classes now, you know, if, if the parent doesn't wanna. Speak it, starting with an older child. There's so many YouTube channels now. There's so many language learning activities and online things that you can do, and so I feel like we're in a really exciting time because bilingualism is finally, I'm gonna say finally valued. And appreciated and seen as an asset.

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

that has brought with it a lot of resources for parents, even of older children who maybe they didn't start in the beginning when it is easier, I'm gonna say, but they're starting now. Uh, and there, there's a place to start, you know? So

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

exciting time in that regard.

Jessica:

Yes, I agree. Well, tell us about your journey about, uh, Pato Pato and what really inspired to build this business and, and specifically for bilingual families.

Lucia:

So as I got started out of kind of my need to have resources, like I said, I, I personally homeschool my child and I wanted resources that really promoted by literacy. I'm promoted learning in Spanish for those Spanish first kids, right? I see a lot of toys out there. That either are in English, which is all of them, or they only promote kind of like one word learning. I'm gonna say kind of one of words. Um, and I wanted something that really encouraged children to think in the language. and that was also tactile and fun and wasn't screen-based because there are apps out there. But I haven't seen anything to support hands-on learning for the Spanish first child that we're talking about. And so we kind of set out on this journey, uh, to create a series of toys that supported. It started as biliteracy to teach children how to read in Spanish, and then it kind of spun into math, science, social, emotional learning, everything really to support either the parent who is homeschooling or the parent who maybe sends their kids to school but wants to support that learning in Spanish at home. Kind of like parallel teach so that the child is, uh, supported in the language and kinda learning the same. Topics and themes and vocabulary also in Spanish at home, right? So that was really important for us. Um, and I kind of wanted to empower the parents to do it in a way that's convenient and easy for them so that they felt, uh, that they hadn't, that they didn't have to go out of their way to not only find these resources, which is what has happened a lot of the times, but also to teach these concepts, which sometimes it might feel overwhelming, right? It's like, well, I don't know all the animal habitats. In Spanish, like they teach'em that in school. How can

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

easy for you so that the child's also learning them in Spanish and you're supporting that growth in both languages and kind of balancing the scales, I like to call it. And so what set out to be, um, a short journey has become a very long one, uh, between the Kickstarter that we did last year and then, uh, the tariffs that came this year that hit us like. Out of nowhere, um, we've

Jessica:

Mm.

Lucia:

taken that time to reimagine what the toys are gonna look like, to be able to bring them to more people, make it more accessible because there's such, uh, kind of custom toys that they are

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

harder to produce and more, more custom. And so worked through that and some of those kinks and we're hoping that by sooner than the end of the year, we'll be able to bring it to market. So I'm super excited. Um. what really, what really started as a journey to make toys has become so much more about adding value to the community and bringing people together, bringing resources together, making parents feel heard. And just keeping Spanish alive away, you know, giving those parents confidence so that they know that the choices that they're making are, are the right choices. They're correct. Their, their gut is right. You know, I always get parents, so yeah, I, I kind knew that this is what I should be doing, but like, I just felt, you know, my mom was saying my dad or like my in-laws or my husband, and it's like. Giving them that confidence to, to keep going. And I think that's huge.

Jessica:

Yes,

Lucia:

it's been so much bigger than toys is what I'm trying to say.

Jessica:

yes. I love it. I love it. And going back to the mental load and everything, like I think that I. It takes a lot of intention, a lot of time and effort to really even think about how can we create an environment for our kids and in this aspect of toys, right? Like it's really hard to find. Toys that aren't so direct in English. For example, LA right, where they have like the little packaging of like cereal and you know, I guess like it's labeled like brownies and you know, uh, I guess spaghetti is universal, but you know, just like those types of words. Yeah. You know, and then my kid asked me and I'm like, and so it's really hard, you know, to. Find toys that are inclusive in that way. Um, and seeing the language. And even if, if the toys, let's just say like in this case, you know, the little box with the brownies image, if kids don't see the heritage language, then again it just doesn't help empower them and to feel like they are a part of, you know, the process.

Lucia:

right. It is. I have a 5-year-old who's now reading. Right. And we, we come across this all the time. It is just about adding to that ecosystem. To balance the scales, to support the home language and the minority language in a way that when they're seeing things around the house, they're also feeling like that's part of their identity. They're

Jessica:

Yes.

Lucia:

in that half of themselves to an extent. Um, because yes, we come across, I mean, I can tell even with books right now, it's been difficult because my, my 5-year-old reads the words and he's like, well, but this one, or That's not what you said. And I'm like, I know because this book's in English. And so we've kind of had to work through that. But I love that we can bring something to homes that is going to support that and make it, like you said, make it easier on the parent, um, to be able to in their home language. Really, I

Jessica:

Yes.

Lucia:

is what I say. These toys are not to teach Spanish. They are

Jessica:

Mm-hmm.

Lucia:

in Spanish.

Jessica:

Yes. I love it. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited and I've seen you grow and, and really bring this out, um, and. What better way, you know, to support a Latina owned business, a business that is very intentional in helping parents raise Spanish first or bilingual kids. And I think that that is very important. I cannot wait to see your journey, especially as once the products are out. I am so excited for that. Um, even in Mexico, I think they, they, they still have like English only toys and I'm just like, what's going on?

Lucia:

that's where I get my stuff when, you know, when I go to Mexico and I'm, it's like still the Melissa and dog toys that

Jessica:

Yes.

Lucia:

the stores, you know, like, and I'm like, what? Like what is No, you're supposed to be, oh my gosh.

Jessica:

I know. I know. So here's your sign. Maybe you can sell your to in Mexico, just saying

Lucia:

Here we come.

Jessica:

Yes. Well, Lucia, I have one final question for you and how are you redefining Madre Hood?

Lucia:

Um, I would say that I'm really loud. I'm always kind of the loudest in the room and the way I'm redefining my own motherhood is by. And in this topic that we're talking about is by being the, being the loudest in the room in my own language, right? I don't apologize for speaking Spanish to my kids. I don't change or switch because strangers are around that don't understand us. And by doing that, I feel like not only am I redefine medical code for me, but there are people around that you might inspire and you never know that might, you know, be too shy to speak it or self-conscious or, and, and you never know who you're inspiring around you. And I think. Those people are more important than the people that might judge you for doing that, so

Jessica:

Yeah.

Lucia:

on that.

Jessica:

Oh my gosh, I love it. I never saw it that way. And it's just basically being your authentic self. And I think that that will, like your kids will see that and already know that, and I love it. So thank you so much for sharing that. Yes. Well, Lucia, where can people connect with you? Where can people follow you and also support your business?

Lucia:

Uh, we are at Play Patto on Instagram. Uh, we are at play patto patto com online. Right now. We are having people sign up, uh, to get a discount on the toys when they come out. We will announce it to our, you know, through our newsletter and obviously also on our, on our Instagram. So come out there. We have a broadcast channel where we're talking about these topics all the time, and kind of supporting parents one-on-one and sharing resources, you know, because that's what parents, I feel like, to get the most resources on how to keep this going, and eventually our toys. So

Jessica:

Yes. Well, Lucia, thank you so much for being on the show. I really appreciate it. It's very empowering, uh, to be with other maas who are doing the work. And again, the essence of having community, I. Not just with any mamas, because I know that it's important to have a variety, but also being intentional of who you talk to, you know, and that way you don't feel isolated in this journey and raising, bilingual kids. And so thank you so much for for being here and for sharing your wisdom./