As a Hispanics, I have been raised by traditional parents and family members. Many people from the Hispanic community can relate to similar moments growing up in a Hispanic household. I'm going to share a couple of my memories growing up in a Hispanic household wondering if any Hispanics can relate to these moments.
1. La Chancla or El Cincho
La chancla (flip flop) or el cincho (the belt) weren't just accessories for a Hispanic family, but intimidating weapons used on misbehaving children. Whenever I would misbehave as a child, my mother would only need to say "Quieres pow pow con la chancla!!" my response would be immediately sit down quietly and play with my toys. No one would dare to challenge the chancla or cincho as a child, rather run to their room and hope their mother would go back to watching her telenovela (soap opera).
2. Having Weird Nicknames
Anyone who grew up in a Hispanic household had one or more weird nicknames. For example, my weird nickname use to be Babas, Papas, and my younger sister's nicknames were Gorda, Mamas, and Babbars. These weird nicknames became a part of your identity and usually used when your parents display their love to you, but when they get angry, they yell your full name with their hands on their waist.
3. Grandparents Think Their Grandchildren Starve
For some, odd reason Hispanic grandparents believe their grandchildren don't eat enough. Whenever I visit my grandparents, I let them know that I ate thirty minutes ago, but they refuse to let me leave without gaining a couple of pounds from their carne asada with rice, beans, and guacamole. They feed their grandchildren as if it were Thanksgiving or Christmas but to be honest, Spanish food is very addicting. They will frequently ask their grandchildren if they are hungry every five minutes out of love.
4. Huge On Recycling At Home
Hispanic Parents are huge on recycling at home. You know if you are Hispanic if your family members would save Doña Maria Mole glasses for drinking glasses or Country Crock containers to hold beans and other food. Hispanics have creative imagination when it comes to finding a purpose for anything. For example, my father would find newspapers laying around and save them up to make a birthday piñata.
5. Vapor Rub
VapoRub seems to be the cure for almost everything in the Hispanic household. You can find VapoRub in all Hispanic households. The cream was a solution to all my problems, whether it was a cold, sore throats, congestion or something else. As a child, I would see my mother frequently apply it on herself when she was feeling sick. You know you are Hispanic if you had to use VapoRub as a child for every symptom when you were sick. Even my grandmother used VapoRub, mostly for sore muscles. My family has taught me to never underestimate VapoRub. Even if I was dying my parents would apply it.
