Like many cultures around the world, Latino families are raised in a very family-oriented environment where kinship goes beyond the blood relation. Growing up in a Latino household I remember being a kid with many uncles and aunties. I mean, I would lose track.
So Many Aunts and Uncles
Everywhere we went I would be told to greet an uncle or an aunt with no blood relation to my parents or myself and that was our normal. Their kids would become my cousins and their whole family would also be included. It was understood that we were all bonded by deep friendship. We grew up understanding respect, the importance of family and how the long-lasting friendships around us would become just that… family.
Building Family
In times of happiness and in times of need, family outside our blood line would be there for us. They would be there ready to help, ready to spend time, ready to make memories.
I know it might be tough to understand where I am coming from but I see it happening now more often where we slowly create friendships and they become like family. It is such a wonderful relationship to see being built; building family.
Even though so many of us are guarded, we know that we need other families around us to find joy not only for us but for our children. We are building kinship outside our blood line and it is such a wonderful feeling to find connection with others on that level.
To know that you strongly feel love, appreciation, understanding and respect for close friends and that your bond could be long lasting. This gives us hope that as cold as this world might feel at times you have wonderful people around you to rely on, care for and call family.
Continue Building
Our children now call our friends uncles and aunties. They call their friends cousins. They see that family is not just based on blood relationship but it is so much more than blood or a last name. It’s the experiences, memories and all the joy in between that has created new family for us.
So, maybe next time when you are doubting meeting another mom in your area, or having your kids go on a playdate, maybe; just maybe imagine how a meet up can turn into something truly wonderful and ever-lasting. Imagine you are building family. And how you as an adult will have the ability to build new relationships that can turn to very close bonds and how your children can be raised around loving people who would treat them like family.
VCMC GUEST WRITER: Daniella Horne
