Of course, I quickly started clicking on all of these because I confess to adore Gwyneth for all the reasons so many people envy and resent her. I was anxious to read a juicy story that would show that her and I have so much in common — like the obsession over making sure our kids speak Spanish fluently.

I was oh-so disappointed to see just another link bait after the paparazzi and gossip obsession over Gwyneth’s parenting skills. Her “forcing” her kids to speak Spanish was witnessed by who-knows-who that was present at the same wedding (Cameron Diaz’s assistant) she was at. The grand story is that, supposedly, when Gwyneth’s kids, Moses and Apple, spoke to her in English, she would ask them to say it in Spanish instead.

To read the full story, click HERE.

Eugenio Derbez is one of the greatest entertainers Mexico has ever had and now he’s managed to cross over to Hollywood with a film that has been his dream-in-the-making for over 10 years: Instructions Not Included. This adorable bilingual (English/Spanish) movie, distributed by Pantelion Films, opens in select U.S. theaters this Friday, August 30th. We don’t just suggest you go watch it, we urge you to not miss this movie! Not only will you laugh and will your heart strings be pulled, but you will let go a sigh of relief that finally, finally, Hollywood has captured a beautiful slice of Latino bilingual and bicultural, and even blended, families.

Eugenio Derbez, who not only stars, but also wrote, directed and produced Instructions Not Included,  isn’t the only one that shines in this movie. Loreto Peralta clearly steals the show and Derbez graciously lets her. This is Loreto’s first film, but it certainly shouldn’t be the last. This 9-year-old girl, born and raised in México City, was discovered only after the casting had gone through so many rounds of boys and girls and just couldn’t find the right kid for this part. One of the main requirement? S he must be perfectly bilingual. And Loreto is just that. Not only is she completely at ease going back and forth between English and Spanish, but she’s also an innate artist with incredible talent and a smile that melts our heart. You would think this part was actually written for her!

We got the chance to watch the movie at a private screening organized by Latina Bloggers Connect and Pantelion Films, where we also got to meet and talk with Eugenio Derbez and Loreto Peralta. Of course, we had to ask them about the importance of being raised bilingual. You will love their responses and should bookmark this video for when you need extra inspiration!

I really don’t want to tell you much about the movie’s plot because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. You can check out the trailer below and just know that you will laugh, you will cry and you will walk out of the theatre feeling warm and fuzzy and will want all your friends to feel it too. ¡Es en serio!

Recently, we got a chance to speak to Maria Canals-Barrera, known for playing mother to teenage wizards on Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place.” This year, Canals-Barrera will reprise her role as Theresa Russo for an upcoming special, “The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex” that will air March 15. Canals expressed love for her role, the cast and the show saying that going back was fun and easy. “The affection that we have for each other and the gratitude that we have for our show is very much there,” Canals-Barrera said.

In real life, Canals-Barrera is raising two young girls. She sees the experience of working on Wizards as a class in “teenagery” that is preparing her for the teenage years ahead. “The writers draw upon real issues,” she said, “like sibling rivalry, falling in love, peer pressure, and teenage insecurity. So it was like practice for me.”

More than the insight to raising teenagers, Canals-Barrera has appreciated the way Wizards celebrates the characters’ heritages without stereotyping them—a quality she emulates in her personal life. “[Wizards] was about this family that were American, and the mother happened to be of Mexican heritage and it was part of who they were and it was an embraced part,” she said. “There are a lot of shows that don’t even cast people that are of Latin heritage. But our show had leads that were part Latino and also embraced it. We were part of the American family, it wasn’t something that marginalized us, it was something that was another layer to us, which is important.”

Like many Latina moms, Canals-Barrera finds language to be a powerful component of her daughters’ identities. “As Americans, speaking English is what unifies us and then on top of that when we can still speak the language that our parents spoke; it’s another incredibly beautiful layer to who we are.”

“I thought it would be easier,” she said of raising bilingual children. “Then I realized that it’s not so easy when you are an American of Latin heritage as opposed to being from another country.” Canals-Barrera is a first generation Cuban-American while her husband is a third generation Mexican-American. “Our instinct is to speak in English,” she said. “We made a deliberate effort to do more; to speak Spanish more so that they can hear it more and learn it more.”

On her experience working with Chef Helen Cavallo on Disney Junior’s “That’s Fresh,” – a fun and energetic short-form cooking show that offers busy parents quick and simple recipe ideas centered on fresh, seasonal ingredients – Canals-Barrera said that it was fun and she enjoyed it very much. She is no stranger to cooking Latin American dishes in a hectic environment. Canals-Barrera has a strong culinary background; both of her parents were great cooks that loved to cook everything from traditional Cuban dishes to Chinese and gourmet. “It was a really wonderful celebration of food in my house,” Canals-Barrera said. In her own cooking, she likes to incorporate traditional dishes in a healthy style. Letting her daughters participate in the inventing part of cooking is equally as important. “It’s a lot of fun for them, and they get to see what they are eating and they enjoy it.”

“The Wizards Return: Alex vs Alex” premiering Friday, March 15 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel.
Disney Junior’s popular short-form series “That’s Fresh,” a cooking show hosted by chef Helen Cavallo that presents simple, healthy recipe ideas for kids and families. In the episodes premiering Wednesday, March 13 and Thursday, March 14 (both at 9:25 p.m., ET/PT on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel), Maria will be helping Chef Cavallo prepare a delicious roasted chicken and banana tostones, a traditional Latin American dish.

On September 3rd, Spanish-language channel Utilisima launched the new original series, “Mi Bebé.” The show which seeks to offer helpful advice to expectant parents is hosted by actress, Lisset Gutierrez, along with doctors and specialists. SpanglishBaby had a chance to interview Lisset (who is herself a mother!), to find out more. Check it out!

SB: So, you’ve been taping your new show, “Mi Bebé.” Are you having fun? Tell us a little about what it’s like on set.

LG: Indeed, I have been recording my new series ‘Mi Bebé’, which has been a lot of fun and above all very informative. The truth is that it’s wonderful to be able to share personal experiences and take-in all the information that our specialists provide in each episode.

SB: You yourself are a mother – what has been most challenging for you as a parent?

LG: The hardest thing about being a mother is thinking all the time and asking myself if I’m going in the right path, if I’ll be the best mother to Maria.

SB: SpanglishBaby.com is a community for parents raising bilingual children – is this something you’re attempting with your own child?

LG: I love that there are so many ways of teaching our children English at such an early age. My daughter goes to a British school because I want her to learn English while she learns Spanish.

SB: What do you hope to accomplish with your show, “Mi Bebé?” What do you want viewers to get out of watching it?

LG: I hope that ‘Mi Bebé’ becomes a program guide for all women, mothers and families. I think we can always use a show such as this one because no one is born knowing everything so it’s great to have an option with this program to solve problems, answer questions and have an answer for every situation as moms.

Mi Bebé airs Monday to Friday at 11:30 am ET/PT on Utilisima.