Mom work can be challenging. Mi Working Madre blog was at heart a small homage to the world of mom, business and the beloved working mom. So fittingly, this post is about the working mom I grew up with and the one that I have evolved into (not admitting that I am my mother yet) . I like to think that I am not alone with dealing with these latina “mom-isms”. While writing this blog post, I found myself in the center of things our latin moms have united under and formed this mom school that most latino children have encountered at some point in their lives. So I present to you my top 5 latina mom experiences that hit close to home. If you have never experienced or not sure what this is, read on. You will be much more sympathetic to our cultural upbringing and understand how us latino children are programmed to the adults we are later. Enjoy reminiscing or getting some insights 🙂
5– Illness- medications – welp it’s really just one = of course VICKS VAPORUB…Vick’s Vaporru -yes people outside of our sphere- this is a generally accepted medicine from headaches, colds, bruises, bug bites – surprised this does not cure cancer yet- just kidding – but we are extreme. the burning sensation on your skin, your eyes, in your nostrils… all have some placebo effect that makes you raise from the ashes and resume life. Why or how this came to be maybe the biggest mysteries of our times. I just know that if these jars did not exhaust their supplies, we would have inheritance of Vaporubs jars from generation to generation. Admittedly, nowadays, if I feel a little under the weather, it’s my go to. Hey and if Vick’s Procter and Gamble would like to sponsor me for some of these therapitcal gems, call me @procter&gamble
4- Welcome to Saturday Mornings vibes – This- this made me question my life so many times on a Saturday, so we can ALL hear it! Now ordinarily that could have you in a good mood, but the time is right before sunrise. Latina moms love to turn up the volume on the stereo and play Spanish songs that will get them pumped and serve as their limpiando tracks. Now before anymore judgement is cast, I have to admit that I too have become your mom. BUT sometimes, to be kind, I wear headphones when engaged in these activities. Kids thank me later. At the end of this deep cleansing, you are lucky enough for a reward…rewards that included fast food lunch, ice cream or extra hour of cartoons!
3- Speaking of homebodies – don’t you dare ask for anything other than whatever your mom cooked that says at home! As we say- Hay comida en la casa! I don’t enjoy this one but it was uttered to me many,many times. I realize cooking is not easy and takes work and effort, but come on.. Sometimes we needed an escape meal. BUT the kicker was when there was nothing waiting at home… nothing. This gives us a subtopic about eating “conflay” i.e. all brands, flavors, textures of cereal on the market. Conflay is the staple of mom who doesn’t feel like cooking. Breakfast, Lunch or dinner, she felt ok giving you this as a meal replacement bar. I think back…mom I could have had a great happy meal- if you just let me! sigh but I feel better that I was not alone enduring this denial.
2- Going out: Sooooo this one is a disputed one…. I can testify that I was guilty of having too much fun when I was younger and living at home. especially when we were kids is way more difficult if you’re from the Latino community. Instead of saying, “hey, go and have a good time,” we are met with 5,000 questions and statements. “Did you clean your room? This is not a hotel! Take a chaperone! Oh, but you won’t spend time with me at home! What’s the number of the person/people you will be with? Siempre en la calle!” Siempre en la calle is a hyperbole of you are ALWAYS going out and never home… never home to clean, eat at home, etc. (see previous bullet points) So “going out” was always, and to some degree, still is a form of deep interrogation that even the FBI has not perfected. Needless to say, these are techniques and I have gained mastery in answering so I will delight in applying these in the future. Today, after many years of leaving my mom’s house, I get an involuntary shake down from my mom about my whereabouts, and automatically my mind goes into defense mode. My mom was truly talented at this probing business.
1– all that to say: Me duele más a mí que a ti (This hurts me more than it hurts you).. now how to break this down…so context..moms saying this are in the middle.. a swift butt slapped. A child is cowering from the raft of the angry mom… as she whispers .. “me duele mas a mi que a ti” so the receiver of these words now pre-destined to cry for hours in your room. For me it was a flying shoe hurled at me for not behaving in the house, later I was not allowed to leave the house with my friends or watch tv til 11:59 pm. I still have doubts that this hurts her more than me.. She had a bit of pleasure depriving me from my teenage joys. I am still plotting how to get that time back. hahaha but frankly now I am too tired to do any plotting.
And bonus – “If you walk around the house barefoot, you’ll get sick and die.” this one is facts- Vicks Vapor Rub will likely save you if you happened to touch that deviled floor. So dont chance thought, mons don’t like to see the sole of your foot on that cold hard surface of your house. I am still interested to know who came up with this one as well. I have to admit to you my dear reader…that I ..I too have become this mom. No reason why I need to scream at my son when he doesn’t wear his chaclas on the hardwood floor but I do..and I can’t help it. I wonder if this is what the real reason latin moms can’t stop. I guess only time will tell. So I realize that many other moms outside the Latino community have utter these same things or done that same to their children. At the end of the day we all share many commonalities and this is why I think motherhood is such a cool gang. I think as a child you don’t realize that so much of what i’ve listed is at the end, your mother looking out for what’s best. Mothers don’t have all the answers and so we tend to fall back on what we know, what works and I think that is special. I hope all working madres try their best since that’s all that is really is expected. All mothers have one thing in common – unconditional love for your children. They will learn and forgive, as we all do.
And let’s remember…. 
