Procter & Gamble (P&G) hosted a "Thank you, mom" panel to discuss the ever changing roles of parenting in today's society. One of P&G's panelists was MamásLatinas co-founder Lucia Ballas-Traynor who, along with the other speakers, expressed their thoughts on parenting in their respective households.  

But Lucia brought to light the one thing the majority of moms have in common: the need to be in touch with their culture.  

My entire life, it's been very important to me that I establish my place as a Latina. The reason it's been so important is because I've always been the girl with the light skin, brown hair, and tawny eyes and I wasn't quite dark enough to be immediately recognizable as a Latina, but I was also not blonde haired with blue eyed. I've always felt like I'm caught somewhere in the middle. No one ever really can quite place me. I've always felt like I have no defined place in the world and like I've always had to prove who I was. I don't want that for my girls.

A lot of my Latino friends have told me that I am lucky because I don't understand what it's like to be judged on the color of my skin. This is true. I may not be immediately pigeonholed and discriminated against for being Latina. However, I can't even count how many times someone has shared a Mexican joke or derogatory remark with me, only to be horrified when I explain that I AM Mexican.

With the holidays here, moms just want to do their Christmas shopping as quickly and painlessly as possible...especially when shopping for our babies! While shopping for a baby can be relatively easy because you know they'll hopefully like whatever you give them (as long as it's bright and colorful!), you don't want to overdo it on toys or clothes. Honestly, you want the gift you give your little one to have significance. Even if it's not your baby, you also want the gift to be unique (so that not every other kid has the same thing!), right?

Which is why we've assembled a group of the best gifts for babies we found that are special, personal, and with a little bit of our Latino flair! You can make that little guy or gal in your life happy while showcasing your pride--and your baby's!--in our culture.

We tell our kids all the time that "honesty is the best policy," but often times, we know we're full of it since we lie to them from time to time too! Of course there is a difference between a white lie and huge lie, which is why lying to them at times isn't a bad thing. In fact, it may be a good thing if it gets them to behave for the time being.

Therefore we've compiled a list of the harmless white lies that are okay to tell your kids. I mean they won't find out and you'll get a peace of mind knowing you don't have to feel guilty about fibbing to them.  Use these mindfully because you don't want to go overboard now!

El huracán Sandy ha sido una lección de vida para mi familia, pero llegó disfrazado como un gran monstruo al que no se le había invitado a nuestro hogar. Pensaba yo que estábamos preparados para lo que se había anunciado sería una de las tormentas más grandes que hayan vivido nuestras generaciones en la región noreste de los Estados Unidos. Aquí, en el pueblo de Huntington, en Long Island, Nueva York, no recuerdo nunca ni haber perdido electricidad por más de par de horas. Ya van más de 72 sin que tengamos las comodidades a las que estamos acostumbrados –ni luz, ni cable, ni servicio de internet, ni calefacción–. Y aunque sí había hecho los preparativos básicos de comprar agua, linternas y baterías, para lo que no nos preparó nadie fue para las altas y bajas emocionales de verse uno arrodillado ante un huracán como éste.

Recuerdo las elecciones del 2008, estábamos viviendo en Los Ángeles, California y Andrea apenas tenía tres años. En el día tan esperado por todos fuimos con Andrea al centro de elecciones a ejercer nuestro voto.  Sabía que con apenas tres añitos no podía entender lo que estaba sucediendo, pero como mamá quería que viviera uno de los días más importantes en la historia de los Estados Unidos. 

Cómo me cuesta trabajo aguantar los berrinches de mi hija adorada.De verdad que cada vez que "arranca" uno de estos, siento como si me estuviesen taladrando las orejas. Esos sollozos gritones y falsos, son peores que hacerme una endodoncia - y si alguna de ustedes se ha hecho alguna - podrá entender a lo que me refiero.

El caso es que sus llantos exagerados, son para mí un suplicio. Y no los sé manejar. Pero estoy haciendo hasta lo imposible por aprender.

Se ha escrito demasiado acerca de la frustración de los niños, libros, blogs, foros, todo mundo nos da consejos, nos dice a qué se debe, nos explican su papel en el desarrollo emocional del niño, cómo tratarlos y demás, pero pocas veces se habla de cómo nos afectan a nosotros (los padres) los berrinches de los hijos.