Comments on: The Myth of the Perfect Cubanita

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:53:09 +0000

I am in Miami right now…There is no more perfect Cubanita. Though perhaps if I really think about it, I should have better manicured nails and a really expensive purse…

By: Violeta

Violeta — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:25:50 +0000

I looked like a little doll when I was growing up- barrette in hair, splash of Nenuco, smocked dress- and had the Spanish version of this myth impressed on me, too. As an adult, I manage all of the little perfections that don’t have to do with my appearance (my house is cleaner than most of our friends (though never clean enough for my mom!), I cook from scratch a lot of nights, grow an organic garden, write thank you notes, practice and teach the kids good manners…but my make-up, nails, hair can be a mess!). And with my kids, my girls especially, I maybe go against this a little too much. I let them be messy, be boisterous, in a way that I wasn’t allowed to be because I think that freedom does them some good. But yeah, I have the nagging little voice, too, and I’m always imagining little makeovers for all of us. And I think now that all three of my kids are no longer ALL babies/toddlers, will be the time I might pull the family-out-of-a-magazine-spread thing off a little better. Maybe… :)

By: Juju

Juju — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:32:56 +0000

I know what you mean. Sometimes I can almost hear the voices of my mami y tias in my head.
But the way I look at it – I’m blessed.
I was raised with this beautiful ideals to strive for.
Something muchas Americanas simply don’t get.
It’s the reason Latinas make such amazing wives.
So I do just that.
I strive to be a good wifey but I never let the ideal rule me.
;)