ESPIn many Latino families, there is something special about the connection between generations. Abuelos share stories with grandchildren. Recipes are taught by watching rather than measuring. Music heard decades ago finds its way onto a younger generation's playlist. Family sayings, traditions and even jokes somehow survive year after year.
But the exchange doesn't travel in only one direction. Younger generations have things to teach, too. A grandchild can introduce an abuelo to a new artist. A daughter can teach her mother how to use a new app. Someone in their 20s can offer a completely different perspective on something a family has done the same way for years.
That's what makes intergenerational relationships so valuable: everyone gets to be both the teacher and the student. Here are some ways to facilitate the exchange:
• Ask an older relative to teach you how to make a favorite family dish—and write down the recipe this time.
• Pull out old photographs and ask about the people in them. Record the stories on your phone.
• Ask someone younger in the family to make you a playlist of the music they love. Then make one for them.
• Teach a grandchild a card game you grew up playing—and let them teach you something they love doing.
• Call a relative and ask a question you've never thought to ask before: What were you like when you were my age?
