Growing Up Bilingual: Grace Bastidas on Books, Culture, and Raising Connected Readers

Speaker: Welcome.

Speaker 2: Welcome. We are winding down Hispanic Heritage Month, and today I'm joined by Grace Bastidas, who is an award-winning journalist, speaker, and parenting expert. She uses storytelling to amplify diverse voices and help families navigate parenthood. The former editor-in-chief of Parents, she regularly appears on news shows such as Good Morning America, CBS, and the, has written for The New York Times.

Grace is a bilingual New Yorker raising two daughters, and she brings deeply personal perspectives to conversations about parenting, culture, and raising the next generation. So welcome, Grace.

Speaker: Thank you for having me.

Speaker 2: I always like to start at the beginning. So what did reading and storytelling look like in your home growing up, and who helped shape you as a reader?

Speaker: Well, I didn't really necessarily grow up surrounded by books, but my family shared stories. So some of them cautionary tales passed down through generations. Others were popular sayings and legends embedded with moral lessons and practical advice. my family is from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, so the same area where Gabriel Garcia Marquez came from.

So there was always an element of magical realism- Mm-hmm ... in their stories. even the most outlandish- Yeah ... tales seemed within the realm of possibility. So I think that, that did a lot to spark my imagination. So when I found books, which was mostly through the Weekly Reader magazine in classrooms, I don't think that exists anymore, but the- I was completely hooked, and my mom would often say that we would need to rent a second apartment to house my growing library.

We never did. It was a joke, but I d- it didn't stop me from collecting more books, and reading really opened the world up to me because while I was raised in a very diverse neighborhood in Queens, New York, I didn't really go far from my little corner of the globe, and that's what books did for me. And I will say that one of my favorite possessions is a medal I received for reading in the fourth grade.

Not to brag, but I have moved apartments many times, continue to purge, and this medal is still with me because it was a recognition that I was doing something right by having my nose in a book.

Speaker 2: I love that, and I recently interviewed Alicia Levy, who's the CEO of Reading Is Fundamental, and she also has a cherished medal- reading medal of honor from the fourth grade.

So Oh ... I love that so much.

Speaker: Gosh. We're medal twins.

Speaker 2: It's, it's amazing the things that you, that you hold onto, and the significance that they have for you. so as you shared, you talked about growing up surrounded by Colombian culture and then thinking differently about language and identity when you became a parent yourself.

So how has becoming a mother changed the way that you think about the role of books and literacy in keeping families connected to their culture?

Speaker: Yes, I was immersed in my parents' Colombian culture as a kid, so everything from the food we ate to the music we listened to had roots in Colombia. That was the place we visited every summer vacation to, see family.

So when I became a mom and had my own kids, I realized they weren't going to have that very concentrated exposure to this vibrant culture that was such a huge part of my life. for starters, my husband is from England, so ours is a multicultural home. So I knew that I had to work much harder if I was going to pass down my heritage to them.

So one of the ways that I committed to doing that was through language. I learned Spanish... I don't even know how I learned Spanish. It was just a language that I knew because it was the primary language that we spoke at home. But I had to commit to it and be very consistent when I decided I was gonna raise bilingual children.

You know, it dawned on me that I had always spoken to an older generation, so I had to practice speaking to a younger audience, and one that asked a lot of questions. and books were really essential to this mission. They helped me spark my children's curiosity, teach them new words, words I didn't even know myself, like mapache, right?

That means raccoon in Spanish. I had never seen a raccoon in my life, so I didn't know. but when my kids would go around asking questions, I would just always make a mental note of, "Okay, have to look this up and teach them the word for it." So it was a really great way to connect my children to my culture, but also other Latine cultures were grow- they're growing up in New York City, so I wanted to expose them to as many cultures as possible.

Speaker 2: Yeah. That's incredible. so I think, like, you've set a really good example, but there are a lot of parents out there who want to raise bilingual children, but they think that they're doing it wrong, and I think, like, to, to the point that you're making, you're bilingual, but maybe your husband wasn't, so maybe one language tends to dominate either in school or out in home.

what would you tell families who wanna nurture two languages, but they're not sure where to begin?

Speaker: So the number one thing I tell families is be consistent. Ideally, you want to start before age five when their brains are still developing and they can acquire the language a little bit more easily.

But even if you're starting later, commit to it. In my house, I'm the one that speaks Spanish. My husband doesn't know Spanish. He understands a lot, but he doesn't speak the language. So I speak Spanish exclusively to my children. Even when they code switch, I stick to the language. And number two, make it fun.

When kids start to feel like something is a chore or homework, they will push back, especially if their friends don't speak the language. They're gonna ask themselves, "Why are we doing this? Why am I doing this?" and, you know, soon enough they realize that you also speak English, so they may wanna switch.

So make it fun by singing songs, telling stories, playing games, watching movies, reading out loud to them, listening to audiobooks. And if you have family in another country, make sure that your children are speaking to their aunts, their cousins, grandparents, whoever it is, in the acquisition language. And trust me, kids will learn English.

That is not... Learning Spanish does not impede them from learning English or, or create any sort of obstacle, because they will easily learn that language at school, with their friends, and all around the world. So it's up to us within the home to really concentrate on whatever language we want to teach them.

Speaker 2: Amazing. That's such great advice, and it resonates a lot with my own experiences. I taught at a bilingual school in Hong Kong, and so many of the parents did exactly what you're describing. One parent would speak English at home, and one sp- parent would speak Chinese at home, just to kind of have that consistency, and so the child would know, you know, when I'm practicing at home, I speak to mom in English and dad in Chinese or, or whatever combination they were using.

But I did hear parents say like, "Oh, my child doesn't like my English," or they'll say- Mm ... "Oh, I like when Miss Erin," you know, the teacher, "speaks English to me better than you." But I told them the same thing, so I'm glad I was giving good advice of just like stick with it, be consistent, you know, they're gonna get it eventually.

Speaker: Yes, that is the number one thing. Be consistent because, you know, for me especially, because I was so used to speaking to an older generation, when I started speaking to my children and they were still babies, it felt funny. Felt like this is, I should be speaking to them in English. Why am I speaking to them in Spanish?

So I had to get used to saying all these words to them and, you know, all these sweet words that I n- didn't necessarily use for like my, my grandparents or my, my own parents. But we speak to children a very different way, so I had to get comfortable with it until it was just what I did, and I'm glad I stuck with it because they're 11 and 13, and they are fully bilingual.

Speaker 2: Amazing. So as I mentioned, I taught in a bilingual school. Bilingualism is something that I, my husband and I have always valued. It's something we want for our own children. However, we are not bilingual ourselves. My husband has a limited Chinese proficiency, and I have an, a limited Spanish proficiency.

But we've recently enrolled our daughter in a Spanish immersion program, so she's 90% of the day learning in, in Spanish, kindergarten. do you have any advice for parents who are not bilingual themselves but hope to raise bilingual children?

Speaker: I think you are doing the right thing. And even if you don't speak the language, how fun to learn the language with your child.

And I think books are great for that because you can sit there, especially at that age range, right? They're using simple words, simple vocabulary, so you can read the books with them and ask your child questions, "What does that mean?" It also empowers them because it makes them feel like, "Hey, I'm teaching my parents something."

It's usually the other way around. So I think it's a fun, effort that you can make with your child to sit there, look at their books, and, and go over the words together. And I think it would just be so amazing to learn the language together, and you're catching your child at a perfect age to do this.

Speaker 2: Yes. Thank you. I, I was hoping you would say that about books too, because I, I can read Spanish. It probably doesn't sound, you know, the most fluent and beautiful, but I think it's a great opportunity to, for me, to try to read some books in Spanish to my daughter and for her to see it's okay to read and not be perfect, 'cause most of the time she hears me reading English books, right, which I'm very fluent at reading.

and, and that we can kind of... You know, what I'm hoping to also get out of this is that it will help support my Spanish too, and then that this is like a journey that we can go on, together. So I'm wondering, you know, you clearly love books. I'm wondering what, other tips you might have for families to help their children see that reading is not something they have to do, but something that's joyful and a way to build their language as well as their cultural connections.

Speaker: I would say use different accents and sounds, really leaning into those beautiful long Spanish words. I w- I also encourage my kids to ask questions. So I'll stop when I'm reading and say, "Hey, what do you think's gonna happen next?" So just anticipating it a little bit makes kids get more engaged. And I love creating a connection to whatever you're reading.

So the first time I read this book about paletas, which are Mexican ice pops- Oh, yep. We have one like that ... to my daughter. You, you know what I'm talking about? Yep. Well, I g- I got a box of paletas in all flavors, coconut, mango, and pineapple, and surprised them with them. So whatever you can make that real world connection, if you're reading a book about cooking something, maybe make that meal with them, I think that is always a nice way to bring books to life.

Speaker 2: Oh, that was such a perfect example. I will link that book, below, you know, in the show notes for everyone as well. I have that book. I've read it to my daughter. It's a bilingual, book. And it just so happened that we read that book, and the next weekend we were at the playground, and who came, walking by-

but the paleta man. And my daughter was like, instant connection there between the ... that we had read.

Speaker: Yes, the paletero.

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker: Good to see him out in the world, and how exciting to have that connection. Good for you.

Speaker 2: Absolutely. so you've s- you know, s- obviously spent a lot of your career thinking about families, culture, and representation.

When ... I mean, we just had this great example of the paletero. When you pick up a children's book, what makes you personally think, "This is a book that I want my children to experience"?

Speaker: So I primarily look for books, at least when my daughters were younger, that reflects their experience in some way and gives them a sense of belonging.

Especially in the beginning of their reading journey, I wanted them to understand that they play, an important part of our community, the world that we live in, and part of that was exposing them to different ways of life and cultures. We've read books about bao buns and, you know, and Indian families and all sorts of cultures because they're growing up in New York City, so I want them to- Mm

see that in the books that they read as well. And because I'm raising girls, I've always loved books with strong female characters. And one of our favorite bilingual picture books is Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match. I don't know if you know this book, but it's by- Oh,

Speaker 2: yes. It's- I love that book ...

Speaker: that book, I will never give it away.

it's by Monica Brown and illustrated by Sarah Palacios, and it's a colorful book that celebrates diversity and individuality through the story of a Peruvian Scottish American girl. So I love that book for everything it represents, especially because I'm raising Colombian English American girls.

Speaker 2: Yes.

And I'll be sure to link that, that one in the show notes below. We also have a ton of resources for that book on Literacy Central, so parents can, read the book and have the family guide to go with it, and I hope they will check it out 'cause it is such a beautiful, book, and thank you for sharing that.

so I have to ask you for some more book recommendations. What other children's books are you loving right now? Are there a few, and they don't necessarily have to be bilingual, that you find yourself recommending again and again to families?

Speaker: So like I said, my daughters are 11 and 13, so they've branched out beyond picture books.

But my oldest, she loves good YA mysteries, she likes romance. And my youngest is really into graphic novels. Mm. She has a robust collection. But when I think about picture books, and we, we have a lot of little cousins that I've gifted picture books to, that I've given them the ones that we've owned. But the ones that will forever sit in my bookshelf, the first one that comes to mind is Waiting for the Biblioburro.

Do you know that one?

Speaker 2: Oh, yeah.

Speaker: Oh, I love that book. so also by Mon- It's a true

Speaker 2: story.

Speaker: It is a true story. It's also by Monica Brown and illustrated by Jo- John Parra, I believe, and it's based on a true story. And it's about a girl who writes her own story after being visited by a roaming librarian who goes around delivering books on his donkey.

So he goes to different villages and gives children's books. And I absolutely love that book because it's based in Colombia, but also because of the possibilities that a book can provide a child. And another book which we have read every single year, at a specific time of year, the last day of school, it's called And Then Comes Summer, and it's by Tom Brenner, and, I think it's illustrated by Jamie Kim.

And it's this joyful ode to summer that has flip-flops and jumping in the river and ice cream. And the funny thing is, we all know the words to this song, to this, book by this point because we've read it so many times. And right on cue, we always say, like, "Almond fudge, please," when the kids go out and get some ice cream.

So I totally recommend those two. I still have 'em and will never ever, ever give them away. Amazing.

Speaker 2: I can't... I'm not familiar with the second one, so I'm definitely going to, check that one out as well. so I always end with this very, challenging question for most guests, challenging and joyful question, which is, what does reading inspire for you?

Speaker: That is a challenging question because- I, reading inspires me to dream of the possibilities. It always has. I owe so much of my accomplishments in life to books, and that's why I still hold onto that fourth grade medal, because it's, it's a reminder that there are no limitations. even if you, like myself, grow up in a very specific community and aren't traveling much or meeting different people, books really expa- expand the possibilities of anything that you can do in life.

And they continue to guide, to guide me as a parent and reveal different ways of thinking. You know, when I'm having any kind of problem or wanna, find something out, I gravitate towards book and I, books, and I love reading paper books and sitting with that and a cup of tea, and I still feel transported.

And it con- it really connects me... Books really connect me also to who I've always been, since I was a little girl, reading and devouring books and asking questions, and that natural curiosity that they really inspired on, in me from an early age.

So I think books inspire me to dream of anything, of everything that's possible in life.

Speaker 2: Wonderful. thank you so much, Grace. This has been amazing. Be sure to check out the show notes, everyone, for some great book recommendations from Grace, and if something that you heard today clicked with you, please share this episode to someone you care about.

Thank you.

Speaker: Thank you for having me. This has been a pleasure. I could talk about books all day.

Speaker 2: I know.