Disclosure: I have received a Toyota Prius V to drive for one year. No monetary compensation has been received. All opinions are my own. Read more here: bitly.com/gplegal
Last Sunday I got a very, very rare treat: a day all to myself in my own city. I seriously can’t remember the last time it happened that both my daughter and my husband were gone and it wasn’t because they were giving me alone time to work on our book or some other pending deadline. This time, my good friend Yolanda, and founder of Sassy Mama in L.A., invited Camila to spend the day with her daughter at the brand new Soak City in Orange County. Since the two girls are inseparable now, I was happy to have her go spend time with her. My husband had a motorcycle ride planned out with friends as well and that left me with absolutely no plans, no ballet classes to rush to in the mornings, and no hardcore deadlines to meet on a beautiful Sunday.
Oh, the joy!
And the best part is that the Toyota Prius had been delivered to us just 5 days before and since I had been traveling I hadn’t had a chance to really drive it at leisure and discover all its fabulousness. So I decided my big plan for the day would be that my Prius would take me to a place that I adore, that sets me “free,” that’s only 16 miles away, but I don’t visit enough: the Pacific Ocean.
As soon as Camila left, I packed up the ample trunk of the Prius V with a small beach chair and my beach bag and I headed out towards the PCH to meet my good, and way-too-neglected-by-me friend Andrea at her surfing spot where the PCH and Sunset Blvd. meet.
Parking was a hassle, but it all melted away once I sat on the beach to catch up with mi amiga. When she left to catch some waves, I just sat there on the sand clicking away pictures of her on the board because I know she loves to see them. I also did something I rarely ever get to do anymore: read a book!
I then headed out to catch up with another good friend, Maura of The Other Side of the Tortilla. She and her husband recently moved to L.A. and since my life has been crazy lately, I haven’t had real time to spend with her. I invited her to the Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica for some lunch on the beach. It’s one of my favorite spots on the beach because it’s so easy and beautiful.
The day ended quicker than I imagined, but the truth is that as much as I enjoyed this “Me” time and really needed it, I rushed home to go to the store to get some blueberries to make my girl a batch of banana-blueberry mini muffins to snack on when she got home.
Moms should not feel guilty of hitting the road by ourselves every once in a while and making what we want of our no-obligations day.
Share: What do you do when you get some “Me” time? What do you fantasize about doing with some “Me” time?
Ay, more “commercials” on SpanglishBaby…por que?!?! I want to learn more about raising my children bilingual. Sorry, but not that interested in reading how Ana gets to drive around a Prius which she didn’t pay for. This site has really become one long advertisement and it’s so disappointing. Que lastima
Valeria, we really do appreciate your comment. We have explained in previous posts that SpanglishBaby is a labor of love. Neither Roxana nor I receive direct compensation nor do we have a penny in investment or loans to maintain SpanglishBaby. We’ve been publishing content almost daily for the last 4 years, while working full time jobs and building other revenue models to sustain our households, and the demand for what we have created continues to grow.
We must accept sponsors because otherwise we would not be able to pay our contributors, web hosting, designers and the people behind the scenes that make it all possible.
If you notice, all the sponsored content lives in either my blog, Roxana’s blog or other sections, but not on the main blog area. In fact, not even 10% of our content is sponsored and we don’t even have our sidebar full of irrelevant advertising. We have never accepted banner ads that are not part of our mission.
Yes, I did receive a Prius for a year and I am clear about disclosing that on the top of the post because I understand not everyone wants to read about my personal day and it’s a choice. That’s why we have published, and continue to do so, hundreds of other articles that are 100% relevant and useful to parents raising bilingual children and that will always be our priority.
Unless we move to a subscription-based model where we charge our readers for the content (we have absolutely NO intentions of ever doing that!), we will need to continue to accept sponsors so that we can keep SpanglishBaby and our mission alive.
One more thing to note is that we do a lot of work for many brands that want to reach our audience and create products and services for our niños. Big name brands that are noticing what we all do and what you all need and we’ve been banging on their doors for years asking them to create content in Spanish, a bilingual app, translate their shows, more toys with Spanish, etc, etc. All that work goes unnoticed and we don’t talk about it, but it is being done.
I hope this helps clear up why and how we do what we do. Our readers and our main content will always come first, but we need a solid business model to be able to exist and grow to make an even bigger impact for the future of our bilingual kids.
Hi Valeria, while I appreciate where you’re coming from with a bit of repulsion on sponsored posts, I will defend Ana to the end.
This post really isn’t about the car, but about a woman who isn’t beyond some self-care and “me” time, which is so important in any relationship, or even if you are single and child-free.
While I do agree she could have made this less about the car and more about the story (that’s just an editorial/style issue), I would like to tell the world how awesome Ana is.
Ana is a visionary, a pioneer in the self-publishing/entrepreneurship field and a whole-hearted supporter of other bloggers and entrepreneurs, their causes, their events and their visions, too. She’s like the sexiest Mother Teresa for lots of Latina bloggers, putting her heart and soul into creating an amazing network and supporting all her sisters in a new way of feeling fulfilled in our careers while we tackle family responsibilities. (Even if you don’t have kids and aren’t married, you still have them, trust me.)
I know first-hand that creating a professional publishing network entails so much sacrifice WITHOUT sponsors. So why do we blame publishers for having sponsors? Do you think twice about Oprah having ads in her magazine?
Look, there’s no one who hates a sponsored/paid review/affiliate blog more than I do if that’s all it is. Then it’s just SPAM. But Spanglish Baby isn’t that.
But sometimes a girl has got to do what she’s gotta do, and if done the right way, it’s OK. This is a field that is still figuring itself out. If you work really hard at something, why should you do it for free?
I do not monetize my blog at all, but I got a car from Ford during the first Ford Fiesta Movement for 8 months and guess what? I produced AMAZING content because of that. My readers loved it. I went geo-caching. I helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity. I even went gator-wrestling! Had anything to do with the car? No! And I never felt one iota of “oh-my-god-I’m-being-a-shill” guilt for it. Because that car afforded me opportunities to create great stories for my readers and to develop my talent in my vein of adventurous travel stories.
How is this any different than a documentary filmmaker getting support from a corporation? When you see a PBS documentary are you annoyed by the sponsor credits? Yeah, I know, there are *some* differences, but think about it. The State of Florida visitor’s bureau paid for my car when I did my travel excursion Trail of the Pirates and was that a “brand” thing? No.
When Chevy gave me a car to go to the National Association of Hispanic Journalist’s conference in Orlando, was that a shill event? No! Guess what … thanks to that sponsorship, I was able to bring my followers great info on the state of blogging, journalism, ethics and so on. Yeah, we talked about the car in some of our tweets, but that was never the real point.
Sometimes brands do work very organically with content producers. And that’s the big difference here. I am happy Ana got a day to herself in a cool car. Why not?
We never think twice if Eva Mendes, Eva Longoria, Salma Hayek does an advertisement for a cosmetics or fashion brand. Why should it be different with bloggers if you know that it’s helping put bread on the table for the other things they do? And if you utilize the sponsored product/thing for good purposes?
Ana does way more than what you see represented in this post. She supported my HeartCamp event two years in a row with donations. What I’m trying to say is that you won’t find a more authentic voice that sometimes just needs to get additional support from other businesses. It’s not that big of a deal. Ana isn’t just about her, but she’s a great supporter of other women’s voices. And you know what? If she needs to pimp a car every now and then to do that, I’m OK with it.
Ana is in no way a shill. She is a real, authentic person doing a great labor of love for so many of us in our journey of entrepreneurship. I don’t know Roxana, by the way, but I know they are aligned in this project.
Anyway, peace and love to all. We are living in a great time to express ourselves and it’s all good.
Me alegra que hayas disfrutado de “tu” día, con la falta que nos hace!!
Ir a la playa fue una buena elección, porque no hay nada más relajante que ver el mar, caminar por la arena… las mamás también necesitamos unas “horitas” para nosotras mismas, recargar baterías y seguir consintiendo a la familia con más energía!
Por cierto, esos mini muffins se ven riquísimos
Te juro que fue mágico y tan relajante! Tanto así que hasta ganas de cocinar me dieron
As a regular contributor to this amazing community, the comment above totally breaks my heart. Ana, you and Roxana are so fierce and dedicated in your mission in raising bilingual kids. I know that I would have given up a long time ago without the support and resources of this familia. The opportunities and value you are providing to others (like me) by bringing these big brands to our table is IMMEASURABLE. Whereas just four years ago I couldn’t find a single bilingual DVD for my daughter, there are now plenty. No doubt in part to the work you do here.
Besos, amiga. I know how much you love this community and my family thanks you as we continue to peruse bilingualism. Oh, and my husband is getting a company Prius for work and we cannot wait! Those things are beauties! And I wasn’t compensated to say that! Ha!
Gracias, Vanessa!
When “work” comes from the heart it makes it all worthwhile!
Oh, and do let me know how much you enjoy your Prius! We’re attached to it now
I would rather pay for a content-rich, ad-free website, but obviously you and Roxana have decided otherwise. Your response is appreciated and makes sense, but I still believe that “throw away” posts like this about Toyota cars detract from the site. I don’t see any connection between trying to foster a community for raising our children bilingual and corporate sponsors trying to grab a slice of the Latino purchasing power. Toyota doesn’t make children’s products…they are sponsoring SpanglishBaby to get the parents to buy their products.
I think it’s disingenuous to say that “All that work goes unnoticed and we don’t talk about it, but it is being done.” It’s clearly being noticed by readers like me, otherwise we wouldn’t take issue with all the corporate, ad-like posts we’ve seen recently. Maybe that’s the cost of doing business in this arena, but I can’t say it’s improved the site.
I appreciate your business acumen and your ability to grow this site; however, you’ve just lost one reader forever.
We are definitely sorry to see you go and will take your words, as all our readers’, in consideration.
What I meant with that line you quote above is work we do with very relevant brands that can actually move the needle in the type of products that are being developed for our kids. Work we love to do.
We wouldn’t, however, consider a subscription-based model because we do want the most people to have access to this content for free. The site is designed in a way where anyone can have immediate access to whatever information they are looking for, be it a FREE bilingual education directory, a list of música en español para niños or expert advice. Sprinkled in between that is our sponsored content and we are grateful that these companies see the value in what we do and, through their support, we can continue to bring the resources we are known for.
Thank you Ana and Roxana for deciding to rather find ways to support the site (while giving information on products many of us do find valuable) rather than to charge people for accessing your site and the information you provide our community. While paying to access your content may be nothing for some people, for others it could be a true hardship. I consider the loss of one reader a small price to pay to maintain your site and all the information, inspiration, and sense of community we get from you accessible and free. That being said, THANK YOU for sharing your day with me. As a mom of a teen who will soon be driving, I appreciate your insight on the Prius and value and trust your opinion of the same. Sigue pa’lante chicas!
Ana, thanks so much for spending part of your “me time” with me that day! I loved seeing you and also getting a chance to explore the beach house and taking a ride up PCH in your new Prius. (And thanks for not getting annoyed with me asking you 50 questions about the Prius, haha.) I hope we can do some more exploring together soon.
Also, to address the comment above… I don’t at all feel that your site has turned into one long advertisement and I’m not just saying that as a friend and longtime reader of SpanglishBaby. In fact, I appreciate that you are so careful and choosy about which kinds of sponsored content you do take on in order to keep SpanglishBaby a free resource for everyone. A lot of people have no idea the amount of time, energy and resources it takes to keep a site like this going, especially at the rate at which you publish new content. I also commend you for compensating all the people involved in making SpanglishBaby a success—many of whom are Latino parents raising bilingual families and who care deeply about the mission of SpanglishBaby. I’ve been a loyal reader of your site since before I knew you and it’s still the No. 1 resource for raising bilingual kids, and where I direct anyone looking for information on the topic whenever I have the opportunity. If you need to take on sponsored content to keep it free, that is a decision I’m definitely OK with because the depth of knowledge available here about raising bilingual kids is incomparable.
Thanks for spending part of that day with me…and letting me show off!
I need to click on over to your blog now and check out that churro french toast recipe..what??!!
Time off for a busy mom is a rare event for any mom. So happy to see that you had a free day and also baked delicious looking muffins. Yo quiero! When I get some me time I love to spend time at the spa or the beach. Your post make me want some me time now. Thanks for sharing this wonderful reminder to set aside time for ourselves.
I do hope you get that spa or beach day! I should make it a spa day next time
Ana, I personally know how busy of a mom, writer, blogger, and business woman you are! Thank you for sharing “your day” with us. It goes to show other parents, that although raising your children is a number one priority, so is having a little time to yourself. I love your blog and its mission! Keep up the amazing job!! xoxo
We all need some time to ourselves in this busy, crazy world. I forget it all too often and totally needed to remind myself how important it is for me and all those around me!
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment
Ana,
A mi también me encanto tu post y no me molesta que exista un sponsor en el mismo. Soy fan de SB porque siempre encuentro información interesante en el sitio para criar a mis hijos y entiendo que para que yo pueda leer información gratis es necesario que SB cuente con algún tipo de publicidad.
Me alegro que hayas disfrutado un día de descanso. Saludos
Gracias, Uchi. Me encanta saber que la información que publicamos le es útil a tu familia!
Ana,
THANK YOU! Me fascino leer de tu “me day”. Since giving birth to el bebe and making time for the four year old I have been dreaming of having a day to not have to worry about anyone but myself. Can’t wait for the weather to get nice and warm in NYC and take advantage of a day my own ‘me day’. =)
I really hope it comes soon for you!!
Ana,
Thank you so much for your recommendation and posting about the Prius. We are looking into purchasing a new family car and we’ve on the fence lately about it. My son (I’m crossing my fingers) will be attending a dual immersion school soon that is a bit of a drive for me. This will help me save on gas! Can’t wait to test drive it!
First of all, how exciting that you got him enrolled in a dual immersion school!! Second, the Prius I have is the V, which is the best one for families because it’s very roomy.
Those kind of days are amazing! I have never been to the famous beach house yet!!! And can’t wait to try your Prius one day, I think the day I get a new cars it will be still Toyota
You must go to the Annenberg! It’s all sorts of fabulous for families
It would be fitting to quote the expression that a girl needs to “work to live,” but then again, it’s obvious that the money being earned from sponsored content is going directly back into the site we all know and love.
Keep doing what you’re doing, Ana, and remember– haters always gonna hate! But those of us who LOVE what you do will continue to support it wholeheartedly. If you need to bend over backwards just to explain to ONE person WHY you do what you do, the point is moot because they’ll never truly understand.
WE DO. And we always will. <3
Besitos, amiga.
Gracias, amiga! I know you know all the hard work that comes with keeping up our labors of love.
I miss the beach so much!! Seeing the pictures of the fabulous time you spend with your daughter and friends at the beach, makes me want to jump on a plane and join you, better yet, how about jump in a Prius and drive!! It would be great to know how much I could save!!
Congrats on the One Year Driving a Prius, go girl!!
Hugs,
Silvia
You’re welcomed anytime!
Ana, I am in the market for a new car and have been eyeing the Prius–in orange–for a while because life is getting more expensive –to think that I can have a nice ride, save money on gas, and do good for the environment!
For all those reasons, we’re loving the Prius V. It’s also really motivated us to want to explore California via road trips this year. It’s something we always say we want to do, but now have the motivation because we know we´ll be spending less. I plan to share those experiences here for sure.
Oh, the orange one sounds perfect!!
Sounds like the perfect day! I need to visit the beach soon. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I look forward to reading about more of your adventures that you get to share with us thanks to your new wheels!
As a special needs mom who works full time outside of the home and writes at night, I know and value any kind of “Me” time – even if it’s just a walk around the block during my lunch hour. I know how hard YOU work and how you deserve time to just be. This post is far from a commercial and the Prius is not the star of the post – you are. Yes, you are writing about a product but you do so without sounding like a salesperson pitching a deal. You have managed to stay true to yourself and the authenticity of Spanglish Baby. It’s a fine line for bloggers and I hope that your dedicated readers know and understand why sponsored posts are necessary. This is an amazing resource site filled with critical content and fantastic contributors – you and Roxana provide this for FREE. Your labor of love is evident. But at the end of the day, there is a lot of work that goes into this site and not everything in this world is free.
Thank you so much for the reminder that we all need to take time off some times. I felt relaxed just by reading about your ‘me time’ day and maybe a little jealous that you got to see our friend Maura. Also, I’m gratefull you and Roxanna have found a way to keep the informative content free for all of us.
Can I ask a question: why does this site only have women writers and readers? My wife and I are raising our daughter bilingual and think the website is an excellent resource. However, it’s seems to be overwhelmingly skewed toward a mother’s perspective. I’ve not seen a single blog post written by a father and rarely any mentioning of a father’s role in raising bilingual children.
My honest opinion is that the site would be better served by highlighting the role of both parents in this challenging process of raising bilingual children in a monolingual environment. I understand that it was started by two mothers, but it reads more like a “Mommy” blog than a serious resource for parents.
Please be more inclusive of dads!!!
Damian,
You are right in saying there’s more articles written from moms than from dads, but two moms (Roxana and myself) started the blog and it’s always been meant to be a serious resource while at the same time a place to find personal stories of parents raising bilingual kids and the joys and challenges that come with it.
We had our first open call for paid contributors 3 years ago. We got an overwhelming response from moms — not a single one from dads.
We also have an ongoing open call for guest blog posts (http://spanglishbaby.com/become-a-guest-blogger/) and we’d love to have dads submit a guest post, but none have yet. We have reached out to several dad bloggers and writers and some have been able to submit a post, but none have been able to become a regular contributor.
We actually had a whole week to celebrate bilingual papis — you can easily find them by putting the word “dad” in our search bar) or going here: http://spanglishbaby.com/2011/06/spanglishbaby-dads-celebrating-papas/
http://spanglishbaby.com/2010/08/the-new-anglo-latino-household-or-colombia-90210/
We’ve also addressed dad issues and questions from dads in our Ask an Expert section: http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/
And our contributor Chelsea put out a call to the dads:
http://spanglishbaby.com/2012/02/ser-papa-bilingue-where-are-all-the-dads/
These are just some highlights, but we have a lot more content.
Would love to have your story featured here anytime!! Send me an email to ana(at)spanglishbaby.com
Ana, how wonderful that you got to spend some YOU time at the beach! I started my blog because I spent a lot of quiet time alone on the beach and the beach inspired me to write. So I know how that feels! That precious you time probably got your juices flowing to write more great content here on Spangish Baby.
I was given a car to drive and test out last year for a week. Because of that I got my son to go with me to get ice cream as an excuse to hang out with him to test out the car. We ended up having such a nice time together which would have been spent probably at home with me on the computer and my son listening to music with his headphones in his room. So I hope you enjoy this whole year having fun in the Prius and make up alot of adventures that you normally wouldn’t do. I look forward to seeing another Ana adventure episode soon!
Ahhhh! Some much needed me time! All mommy’s need that! We all need to step away from our children, hubby, computer, kitchen, and just be US!!! Its hard to do, but we all need to…for our health, for creativity, and for some fun! Glad to hear you had a great time. And speaking of kitchen — hope that banana-blueberry mini muffins recipe will be posted soon. They look delish!
Ana as you know I find “me time” to be INCREDIBLY important, especially as a parent and all around Super Mujer. So good for you for doing it! And I’m glad the prius motivated you to take that time. God know you need it. Thanks for sharing a post (I don’t care that it’s sponsored ) that shows you took time to relax … which makes you more productive! I meam hello you went home to friggin’ bake! LOL.
Qué día tan delicioso! Y felicidades por el Prius por un año, espero que tengas muchísimas oportunidades más de disfrutarlo como ese domingo!