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“It is estimated about eleven million immigrant living in the United States, in which six million are Mexican” (Passel, 2005). Many Mexican will sacrifice their family culture and traditions to move to a foreign country for a better way of life. The change of life is difficult for traditional family, having to change their culture traditions and even having to add new ones can have a huge impact on families. Family is a very important factor for Mexican families, having that strong bond and respect for one another is what keeps them united. Families who migrate to the United States take along their culture and their language to maintain and promote it to their children. Families try to preserve the culture, by celebrating cultural traditions and rituals to make them feel closer to their Mexican roots. Having to obtain different traditions was not a negative experience for Mexican families; it was a way to come together and celebrate holidays from their new country. A traditional Mexican family lived by fathers rules the breadwinner, having mother at home caring for children and home. The changes in the home start to occur when both parents are out working, this take a toll on the children attitude and the stress with having to learn a new language. Maintaining the culture in their everyday life was important for immigrant parents, so their children can pass down to the next generation and know their background. But around the second generation of Mexican-American the culture tends to fade because parents do not maintain the culture their parents have taught them. The cost of getting ahead is having to change family cultures and traditions, “Parents chose to relocate to the United States for their families’ economic security and to get their children ahead with bilingual skills and a U.S. education.” (Bacallao and Smokowski, 2007). From all the change and sacrifices made to get ahead, La Familia is what keeps Mexican family united and strong.

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