705: Maddie Welch-How Music Unlocks Spanish Fluency
Description
What if supporting your child’s Spanish and cultural roots was as simple (and fun) as putting on a favorite song? In this uplifting episode, I sit down with Maddie Welch, Boricua bilingual educator and founder of Canta y Baila Conmigo. Together, we explore how music (not just passive listening), but singing, moving, and connecting, can be a game-changer for language development, memory, and heart-felt family connection.
Whether you’re a musical mami or can barely carry a tune, you’ll leave inspired to integrate music into your daily routines, discover heritage songs, and maybe even lead bilingual music classes in your community!
Podcast Promos:
Check out Fiesta musical - En Casa by going to www.cybconline.com. Use our special promo code MILEGASI and you will get 10% off the course at checkout.
Timestamps & Highlights
02:07 – Maddie’s Bilingual Upbringing & Musical Roots
07:40 – Music, Memory, and the Developing Brain
10:59 – Cultural Belonging Through Song
14:10 – What is Canta y Baila Conmigo?
20:22 – Bringing Canta y Baila Conmigo to Your Community
25:25 – Easy, Everyday Ways to Use Music at Home
27:25 – How to Connect With Maddie & Find a Class
29:52 – Fast Round: Maddie’s Latinx Legacy, Traditions & Bilingual Dreams
Quick Bilingual Parenting Takeaways:
Making music together (not just listening!) supercharges language and cultural learning.
Real songs from your own (or your partner’s) heritage transmit culture and create belonging.
It’s not about being “musical,” it’s about presence and enthusiasm. Your child’s favorite singer is you!
Music can take many forms in daily life: singing lullabies, drumming on Tupperware, spontaneous dance parties, just get moving and connecting.
Programs like Canta y Baila Conmigo empower both kids and bilingual moms to engage, build community, and even start their own businesses!
Resources Mentioned in The Podcast:
More free printables + resources at milegasi.com
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Final Thoughts
Music is more than entertainment, it’s a bridge to language, memory, and our roots. Don’t aim for perfection aim for connection. Through song, rhythm, and shared movement, you create a legacy your abuela would be proud of.
Keep singing, keep connecting, and pass on your heritage one song at a time.
Want more inspiration and actionable bilingual parenting strategies? Visit milegasi.com and cantaibailaconmigo.com.
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