For parents who are raising kids in a bicultural household, teaching them to speak Ingles y Español is something of a passion. That’s why developing habits that incorporate both cultures into kids’ daily routines, says John Baugh -- chair of the Public Relations Committee at the Linguistic Society of America and professor emeritus of education and linguistics at Stanford University -- will bring bicultural happiness to la familia.

Engage them in activities from both culturas.
“Watch television in both languages, particularly the one that is not dominant in your speech community. Sing songs and nursery rhymes from both cultures. This will instill respect and familiarity with both,” says Baugh, the Margaret Bush Wilson professor in arts and sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Give both cultures equal importance.
“Depending upon the context in which people live, circumstances may imply that one culture may be devalued in comparison to the dominant culture and language,” adds Baugh. “If this impression exists, family members should do everything possible to maintain and value their family heritage, language and culture, while doing what’s necessary to gain fluency in the dominant language and culture.”

Baugh offers this final note: “The benefits of bilingualism and biculturalism are tremendous. Chinese, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese are growing in global influence. People who are familiar with more than one language, and more than one culture, will be better equipped to participate more fully in the future global economy. This familiarity with languages and cultures besides English is an underutilized asset in a global economy that demands linguistic and cultural dexterity.”

Photo: Corbis Images

As children, we rolled our eyes when our padres demanded we speak fluent español and attend our neighbors’ quinceñeras. But in the process of acclimating to an American lifestyle, we may leave too much behind. Here are nine nuggets of Latino wisdom we should never forget, and how to incorporate them into our complicated modern lives:

1. Familia comes first. In good times and in bad, no one is there like the family. But it’s not just obligation that should compel you to put the ones closest to you first. After all, what’s more relaxing: reality TV drama or story time with your children?

2. Pool your resources. Saving in groups has helped Latin-Americans around the world to start businesses and buy homes. Combine energy with like-minded professionals by starting a Latino affinity group in your field.

3. Dinner is sacred. At least once a month, make a whole meal from scratch for a small group of close friends. The memory will last longer than a night at the movies.

4. Don’t spend what you don’t make. Immigrants don’t use credit cards, but we have to sometimes. Make sure to keep a careful log to justify each charge.

5. Never complain. This may be unrealistic, but do we really have to whine so much? Try cutting all negative comments for one week.

6. Invest in people, not things. Our families helped out the neighbors; we barely know who lives on our block. Create a sense of community by joining a local parent group, cultural organization or food coop.

7. Romance is king. Our abuelitos never quit dancing or date nights.

8. A little fat never killed anyone. Even research backs Mami up on this one: the body needs monounsaturated fats -- so bring on the guacamole and pepitas. (Skip the chips.)

9. Don’t bring work home. If you can’t pull this off, budget at least 30 task- and media- free minutes a day. You’ll be more relaxed and effective in the morning.

From Mami’s unreturned phone calls to the pileup of work emails, there’s always someone demanding your best attention now and your finest response yesterday. But what’s the first thing to get shoved to the side? Ever-important “me” time.

“I always tell people to picture their life like a pie,” says Lauri Burns, founder of The Teen Project, a nonprofit that helps homeless and foster teens create balanced, healthy lives. That pie should include everything: romance, la espiritualidad, family, work, leisure and hermana time. “The goal is to nourish the multiple parts of your life consistently in order to feel joyous and confident.”

According to Natalie Gahrmann, a women’s leadership coach, we have to prioritize what we value most, and then make choices to support those decisions. Here’s how to bring balance and confidence to your daily life:

1. Identify Priorities “Determine what’s most important to you and align yourself with those areas of your life,” says Gahrmann. Look for the things that give you a feeling of wholeness and satisfaction, such as maintaining your Latina identity or searching for your true calling.
 
2. Get Organized “A balanced life involves planning and prioritizing my daily tasks,” says Cynthia Warden, a self-employed publicist. Each night, write down your activities and priorities for the next day. Make sure to plan for personal time-outs.
 
3. Build a Support Network Our first reaction is often to figure things out on our own. But, says Gahrmann, we can keep stress in check by asking an amiga, a colleague or even a tía for help with projects.

Before they were famous, celebrities like actor John Leguizamo, Olympic wrestler Henry Cejudo and writer Leila Cobo-Hanlon looked up to Mami for guidance. And since we know that raising accomplished and disciplined individuals is no easy feat, we applaud these moms’ countless acts of faith and persistent nudges that undeniably ignited their kids’ ambitions. Here, a dose of inspiration from three stellar mothers’ wise lessons:

For Luz Leguizamo, it was all about creating an artistic environment for her sons to thrive in New York City. “I truly believe that John was profoundly affected as a boy by watching my talented musician friends give extraordinary performances. My two sons always saw how hard their father and I worked. As immigrants, we studied English, which was difficult to do while we worked full-time. When John told me that he was going to be an actor and study drama on his own without going to college, I said firmly, ‘You must go to college. I won’t accept any excuses.’ I stood by my decision.” John Leguizamo eventually attended New York University and later enrolled in the prestigious Actors Studio. The rest is Hollywood history.

Nelly Rico came to the United States from Mexico seeking better opportunities for herself and her family. For decades, she worked multiple jobs to provide for her seven children. She consistently gave her family the resources and encouragement they needed to succeed. After raising four sons, three daughters and more than one wrestling champ, including Cejudo, the youngest American wrestler to ever bring home Olympic gold, Rico won the American Heritage Award in 2010, which is given to immigrants for their unique contributions to the U.S. “My mom is an amazing woman,” Cejudo once said. “She has influenced and encouraged me my entire life. She is my hero.”

Olga Sefair de Cobo raised four children in Cali, Colombia, with the belief that if her family always dined together and discussed what was on their minds at the table, the world could be their oyster. For her daughter Cobo-Hanlon, the executive director of Latin content at Billboard magazine and author of the critically acclaimed novel Tell Me Something True, having her mother close by made a difference. “Aside from dinner conversation, the most important thing was putting them to bed,” says Cobo. “Every night, les daba la bendición and listened to their secrets. The biggest secrets always came out at night,” she adds with a wink.

With young kids, it can often be difficult to incorporate healthy nutrition into your kids’ diet as well as your own. We asked experts for easy tips on helping your kids -- and yourself -- successfully stay healthy and perform better.

Start Your Day off Right
“Eating a healthy breakfast is the single most important thing you can do,” says Barbara Mendez, a New York City–based nutritionist and pharmacist. From cereals to scones, 99 percent of what we eat has way too much sugar. Instead, Mendez recommends plain oatmeal with fresh fruit and cinnamon, which regulates your metabolism and burns fat. Another fast recipe is to make mini- frittatas (baked omelets) in muffin pans. You can individually wrap them and eat them on the go.

Smart Snacks
Seven to eight hours can pass between meals, which is when junk-food danger can strike. Mendez suggests beating cravings with good high-protein, low-fat snacks, such as sliced apples with natural peanut butter, or a little guacamole on a corn tortilla. All are easy-to-pack school lunches.

Stay Hydrated
“Hydration for the whole family is hugely important and often overlooked,” says Mendez. Drinking more water speeds up your metabolism by 3 percent, which helps you burn an extra 150 calories.

The Family That Plays Together Stays Together
Make fitness fun by joining a family soccer league or bringing your kids along to yoga class. Implement after-dinner strolls to look at the stars. People that are more active are less likely to be obese and have cancer, heart disease, stress and depression. Encouraging family fitness is the best way to show that you care.