I'm Latin... It's Never Too Late!

by Patti

Although I was born in the United States, I was raised by immigrants from South America, and therefore brought up in a very Latin way. Spanish was my first language - I didn't really even learn to speak English until I started school. We spoke Spanish, we lived Spanish, we were... Spanish!

When we were little, while the neighbors had their children in bed by 7 pm, my brother and I would still be up at midnight, eating Cap'n Crunch and listening to music. It was the Latin way. As we grew older, although my brother's and my Spanish gave way to more and more English, the whole concept of the "American bedtime" never took hold of our household. Instead, my family's second wind would always kick in around 10 pm, and that is when we'd start a game of Yahtzee or start baking a cake.

I distinctly remember my mom mopping the floors at 11 pm on a weeknight, while my dad was making a burnt toast sandwich. That is when my brother got the the sudden craving for a chocolate cream Hostess pie. So, naturally, we would all pile into the car to go to the grocery store. It mattered not that it was now nearly midnight and we all had work and school the next day. Right now? At this moment? Was the perfect time to go the grocery store and get some pie. Of course, once we got to the store, my mother would remember that we needed milk. And eggs. And lettuce. And, oh! Look! These chips are on sale at 2 for 1! And then my dad would inevitably head off to buy a block of cheese and some salami while my brother and I gleefully threw a thousand Hostess pies into the cart. So, in essence, we were doing the groceries at midnight on a Wednesday. But hey, when your Latin, it's never too late!

Not only did we cook, clean, and play Yahtzee at unreasonable hours, we also ate dinner late. While our friends were sitting around the table passing around the roast and potatoes at 6 pm sharp, we'd be waking up from naps and eating a snack. Dinner? Was not until at least 10 pm. How can people eat at 6? You'll be STARVING by midnight! Because, of COURSE we'd still be up at midnight.

These Latinly habits were obviously passed on to me, and since I married a man from Argentina, where it is not uncommon to find a restaurant packed with families at 11 pm on a school night, we have only perpetuated these habits and are now passing them on to our daughter.

When S was born, structure existed only in "How To" books for us. We'd be up at 1 am watching movies with our baby by our side, or out dancing to a Merengue band, S held up high up in the air between us, then all sleep in until 1 pm the next day. Why not? She didn't have a job! Let her stay up; it's not too late!

Of course, once she started school, it was a complete and total nightmare getting on that "American" time clock - for ALL of us. We'd finally get her on a schedule - which felt like prison to us - and then we'd go to Argentina to visit family, only to have that worked-for schedule promptly fly out the Argentinean window. After all, summers in Argentina mean dinner at 11 pm and ice cream at 1 am. Kids stay up with the adults and participate in every aspect of what is going on. Too late for them to be up? Of course not! The only "too" in the Latin culture is "too early", "too quiet", and "too boring". But "too late"? It's never too late!

S is now 10 years old, and fully embracing the Latin ways. She is always mystified after coming home from a friend's house. "Mom, they ate dinner so EARLY." If I finally tell her to go to bed on a Friday night at midnight, she will look at me, shocked, "But Mom, it's FRIDAY. It's too early!"

Que puedo decir? We have created a monster, much like my parents created a monster in me, much like their parents created monsters in them. The Latin gene lives on, and frankly, I just don't think we are ever going to change. For that? It's too late.