These Latinos Share Their “Woah, Awesome!” Proud Padre Moments

If you’re a parent, you know there are a lot of big moments in your little ones’ lives. The first time they walk, talk, and ride a bike are some of those major accomplishments that you always hear about and are prepared to capture with the camera in hand. But beyond those developmental milestones lies something even more special. It’s those little moments where you finally see something click in their baby brains, something that maybe you’ve been working on for months without thinking they were even paying attention. Those proud padre moments where you can see the spark of excitement in their eyes. Those are the moments that really fill your heart with wonder and love for that amazing little human. 

With the holidays right around the corner we wanted to partner with the incredible hands-on learning company KiwiCo to share some of those moments with you! We gathered up some of our mitú staffers who have their own chamacos and asked them to tell us their favorite little learning moments with their kids! Warning: tissues may be needed. 

JOSH

There were a handful of songs I’d sing to my daughter when she was a baby. These aren’t typical baby lullabies. To get her to sleep, I’d sing some of my favorite songs. As we’d watch a certain favorite baseball team of mine in the living room, I’d sing that classic theme with her during the 7th inning stretch. She’s a little sponge and between 1 1/2 – 2  years old, she floored me by humming the same few songs I’d been singing to her. Now at 2 1/2, she knows the words (at least most of them) and doesn’t need me. I catch her singing them as she plays with her toys!

ARMANDO

Being parents of a child with autism, we rely a lot on didactic games. By recognizing colors, figures and textures, we helped our son break his bubble and realize the outside world. The first time he looked back at us, we knew there was hope.

MILLIE

Hearing my kid read on her own for the first time was huge. Over the years you read the same book over and over, flash cards, poster boards with sight words. You name it, we’ve done it…and still somehow you think it’s never enough! Then one day you’re driving in the car with your 4 1/2 year old and clear as day she reads the side of a moving truck, “Look Mom, Kings Moving Truck, is that for queens like you mama?” I was FLOORED. Not only does she naturally on her own refer to me as your majesty or a queen (yass baby girl we are queens!!) but she is correlating queens to kings just like you would for up to down or fast to slow. It was a big moment for us and it was like she knew how to read every word after that all of a sudden. I thought, has she been hiding knowing how to read and being lazy making me do all the work? LOL kids are a trip! 

CRITTER

I won’t lie. I got teary eyed the day my daughter was able to hold a marker and scribble for the first time. It seems so easy and natural for a kid to pick up a pen, or pencil, and scribble all over a sheet of paper, but it can take a minute. My daughter would pick up the marker and try to bite it, or touch the ink part, or just drop it on the floor. But, the day she pressed it to paper and left a mark, I had a proud moment. I was like the caveman who discovered fire. Or the genius who realized you could put carne asada into a tortilla. My daughter had made her first mark. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see the things her scribbles will one day evolve into. 

This is really what the holidays are about: seeing that love of learning light-up your child’s life. So if you’ve got some niños and niñas in your life and want to give them a holiday gift that will spark some of these “woah, awesome” moments, check out KiwiCo for some hands-on holiday fun! They’ve got some awesome projects for one time gifts like this Chemistry Play Lab, or you can keep the learning going all year long and get up to 4 months free when you buy a subscription today through December 31st!

And remember, all you padres out there: soak in the joy of all their milestones. They’re small, but incredible moments.