El Primer Dia de Kinder in Bilingual Education

As I walked out of the classroom, I started to cry. My baby girl was beginning el primer dia de Kinder as a dual immersion student in bilingual education. Unable to hold it together, I found my husband’s shirt a few steps away and burrowed my face in. A few moms from my daughter’s class saw and made reassuring gestures – the teachers would take good care of my baby, they assured.

But that wasn’t why I was crying. Not at all.

Ten months ago, having pulled Alina out of her Pre-K class, we moved to California in search for something else. D and I lived in Las Vegas for nearly ten years and, with our kids becoming school aged, it no longer supported the values we find important. As a mixed race family (and I, a Latina mom), we wanted more diversity. And we needed bilingual education.

It’s been ten months full of incredible adjustments for my family, and it hasn’t always been easy. From hospital stays with fragile health, living with my mom for much longer than planned, to buying and (half way) renovating a California home, I have never in my entire life been more overcome with pride then on the day my daughter started Kindergarten.

Related: See our Bilingual Kindergarten Classroom!

Bilingual Education + Purposed Parenting

Alina’s first day of Kindergarten felt like a celebration. My mom and tio came over, Daddy D took a break from work and, together with our neighbors, we walked the two blocks to school. I’m fluent enough to not at all be worried sending my kids through bilingual education (I communicate with teachers with ease) but many of these parents aren’t. Still, they’re purposed and motivated to give their babies the amazing gift of language. I think that’s so cool.

They’re black and white and Latino and Asian and they believe – with all their hearts – that bilingual education is a great way to prepare their children for our globalized society. When you walk onto campus, teachers speak only in Spanish. A far cry from our experience in Vegas, there are two other black babies in Alina’s class. She’s still the only one that wears her hair naturally curly, but the diversity in skin colors and cultures and family makeup literally brought me to tears on her first day of school.

The test scores, PTA involvement, demographics or whatever of a school can be debated, all I know is that parents who send their kids through a bilingual education are very special. They’re engaging in the kind of purposed parenting that aligns with my family’s core beliefs.

And for the first time since becoming a mother, I  finally feel at home.

El Año Que Viene

I’m so excited for this coming school year, I can hardly stand it. My daughter is a rockstar and her adjustment to a Spanish classroom has been seamless. She’s going into her second week of Kindergarten with positivity and excitement, but her baby brother continues to struggle while she’s gone.

That’s the major hiccup we’ve been having as a family: settling baby brother into a routine where sister’s void can be filled until they’re reunited again. I wanted to share these cute pictures of our new Kindergartner earlier, but have been focused on his adjustment, ensuring his little heart doesn’t break while sister is away. These kids have been through a lot to get where we are today, and they make me so proud. My baby boy starts preschool this week, so fingers crossed things turn around for him!

Queridad Alina,

I’m so proud, baby girl. I’m so proud of you and your eagerness to learn my family’s language. I know it isn’t easy, I know you weren’t always up to the task, but something clicked for you this week. Meeting your teacher really helped, I think. You got a great one, mi amor, and I know you’ll flourish.

I’m so proud of the sister you are, Alina. I expect so much patience from your little 5 year old self and am grateful to you for helping me raise a little boy who can feel and identify his emotions. He’s going to love preschool and you’ll be the first person he’ll want his share his joy with.

But, my sweet girl, I cried on your first day of Kindergarten mostly because I am so freaking proud of us. As a family. As your parents. I just cannot believe we pulled this whole thing off!

What your dad and I have accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. Never in a million years did I think we could offer you this environment, this stability, or a bilingual education. Perhaps it’s bad to say that, I suppose I should think higher of our capabilities, but on your first day of Kindergarten I was brought to tears by sheer pride.

Goes to show you that steady work, diligent planning and the beautiful compounding effects of time (and a little luck, too) is all you need to make miracles happen.

Go get ’em, Mami! Kindergarten is going to be an amazing year.

Te quiero tanto,

Su Mama