Latin American Families in the United States

Thirty years ago Latin American homes were mistakenly considered risky environments for child development. Today, research paints a much more positive picture of the Latin American family by recognizing several important strengths. Among Latin Americans, there is a high incidence of two-parent and extended families. When compared with single-parent families, two-parent families usually have access to additional economic resources to invest in educational activities. Also, they may be able to provide more assistance and devote more time to their children's educational needs. In addition, having grandparents or other adult relatives living in the home may provide added support and shared caregiving for the children. Children from Latin American families are a fast-growing population in schools in the United States. Consequently, it is important for educators ...