Día de los Niños, April 30th
When people think of Hispanic holidays celebrated in the United States, one of the most important ones never comes to mind. The day in question is neither Cinco de Mayo or el Día de los Muertos, and it's likely to become a national holiday. El Día de los Niños is the latest gift from the Latino community to mainstream US culture.
Celebrating Young Americans
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When people think of Hispanic holidays celebrated in the United States, one of the most important ones never comes to mind. The day in question is neither Cinco de Mayo or el Día de los Muertos, and it's likely to become a national holiday. El Día de los Niños is the latest gift from the Latino community to mainstream US culture.
Día de los Niños (Children's Day) is celebrated in many countries throughout Latin America and the world. The United States has holidays for mothers, fathers, grandparents, teachers and a host of other adults, but no day set aside for the appreciation of children. I remember hearing kids complain about this growing up, and the response was almost always the same - "Every day is children's day."
Unfortunately, the truth is that our children tend to be raised by nurseries and schools, while our family time is divided between televisions and video games. Too often we are watching our children grow up from a distance. The parents are turning into spectators, and our children are often left without the positive interactions with adults that they need to thrive. In the meantime we wonder why children are being diagnosed with more and more problems and disorders.
Our involvement in our children's lives is frequently limited to negative reactions and warnings. Our campaigns against teen pregnancy focus on the problems having children can cause someone trying to start their life. We bombard children with "Just say no" campaigns because we expect the worst of them. Watching the news, we wonder every day, "What's the matter with these kids today?" Our concern and guidance are necessary, but we seldom take time to balance the battle against our worries to show children how wonderful they are and how much they are appreciated.
Hispanic Children
Hispanic culture is well known for indulging in our children and showing that we believe they are a gift from God every day. Today Hispanics are the youngest demographic in the United States. In 2000, 36% of all Hispanics in the US were under 18. For non-Hispanic whites, the number is 23.5 percent. Our children are the second largest group in schools right now. The health, education and well being of Hispanic youth are becoming more vital to this country every day. With Hispanic drop-out rates so high and with 30% of Hispanic children living in poverty, we all have to come together to let our children know they can succeed and give them the tools to do so.
Some children will be writing milagritos, with their hopes and dreams on them. They will be displayed in schools, businesses, churches and other places around the community. One family activity could be to write these down every year and save them to see how they change.
Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros
One of the efforts that has coincided with Día de los Niños is Día de los Libros (Book Day). Libraries all across the country are promoting bilingual literacy as well as literature geared towards Latino youth. Schools and community groups all over the country have come together to promote reading and family time. If you're afraid the holiday might become too commercial someday, this is the right focus to have. I can't imagine getting a child a book or having reading time together getting overtaken by corporate interests. For a challenge, find something in whichever language the child uses less - English or Spanish. Also, spending time with other families in the community at a local event is always worthwhile.
Celebrating Young Americans
This holiday isn't just for Hispanic children. While it started in the Hispanic community, others have started to use the day to celebrate their German, Irish and other cultures with their children. Every child and every culture add to the world we live in. The US Senate first passed a resolution to celebrate Día de los Niños in 1998 for the year 1999. This year it should pass for the third time. When it passes for a fourth time, next year, it will become an official national holiday.
Don't wait until then to celebrate. Look for events near you this weekend and Monday. If there are no organized events, be sure there are next year! Do something your child enjoys this weekend.
Read the first Senate Resolution stating the original reasons behind the law and recognition of the efforts by the Latino community.
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