Children of Hispanic immigrants get a strong start in the United States; stronger than children of U.S.-born Hispanics, according to an article by NBC Latino.
These children start off with better opportunities in the fields of education, health, and economics. However, these advantages do not last forever. Children of Latino immigrants are less likely than children of U.S.-born mothers and fathers to live in a single parent household. They are also more likely to work a job in their high school years.
These advantages can be attributed to the native Latino culture, states Donald J. Hernandez, a professor of Sociology at Hunter College. “Hispanics come here with strong family structures, traditional cultural diets and a work ethic that motivates them to find and maintain employment.”
Over the years, however, these children begin to lose their advantages. Hispanic children with immigrant parents are the second most likely group to live in poverty, behind black children with U.S.-born parents. In addition to the economic issues that come up, Hispanics begin to adopt a more unhealthy diet upon arrival in the states, relying upon processed foods with high fat content.
Hernandez is dedicated to fixing this issue, stating that “it’s in the self-interest of all American[s] to see all of our children healthy and well-educated.”
(Photo by epSos.de via Flickr)