Before I had children, it was almost impossible for me to make friends with non-Latinos. The common language always made me feel like I was part of a family, like I was at home. My mom always told me that new friends would come with children because it's for them that you have to learn to socialize.
Once I had my children, everything my mom told me became a reality. I started socializing more, but I still gravitated toward Spanish speakers. I wanted to meet more families like me, Latinos, or mixed-race couples, especially so my children could become familiar with Spanish. That's how I formed my Spanish Playgroup. As I mentioned in a previous post, this group is my unconditional friends. We're like family, and I trust my children with confidence. The group was created six years ago, and we still keep in touch and try to do things together. Our children are like cousins, and the parents even organize their own outings. In short, it's a very special relationship.
However, when your children start school, they themselves ask you to help them make new friends, the little friends who only speak English and with whom they spend many hours at school. That's when you, as a mother, have to take the bull by the horns and begin to meet and socialize with other types of people, new people who may not have much in common with you, or maybe you do, but you don't know until you actually take that first step to get to know them. Remember...it's all for your children.
That's exactly what happened to me a few years ago, after my youngest son's preschool. I saw a group of moms always planning something, and I felt a little sad that my children weren't part of that fun group. Well, one day the teacher told me they already had an officially formed group in town—they were the "Moms of Bensalem." That's when I decided to ask them how I could be part of the group. That was the beginning of a great friendship.
It's been almost three years since then, and within these larger groups, subgroups are created—yes!—with those you have a closer affinity with. My American friends don't bite or show any intolerance toward other cultures; in fact, they're very interested in learning about my culture and my language. We're a very fun group!
This summer, we're planning a summer with friends, since our children are almost the same age. And I'll talk about that in my next post. There's a lot to share during these school breaks.
It's true, for some, it can be difficult to make new friends who come from different backgrounds, speak a different language, have different tastes and customs, but eventually, we'll fit into a group. We should always try and give ourselves a chance... for our children and for ourselves 🙂
All summer camps are fun, and they need that family touch to share tastes and customs and show the integrity between parents and children! Best regards and have a great vacation!
Sorry for the delay, Miguel, we were still on vacation 🙂 You should always take advantage of being with family and close friends, those are the moments you'll remember for a lifetime!