Last week, I had the honor of participating as a presenter at the 4th Annual Dual Language Symposium hosted by the Texas Association of Bilingual Education (TABE). I was invited to share ideas with parents on how to support their children’s education, especially through the thoughtful use of technology. I presented an online course I created in Spanish for Hispanic families titled Navegando hacia el éxito escolar, which offers practical guidance for navigating the U.S. school system. During my session, I emphasized that while digital tools can be helpful, what truly matters is the intention behind our actions, showing our children that we care, that we’re involved, and that we’re there to support them. Coincidentally, this past weekend was Father’s Day, a day that always brings to mind my grandfather, who was my father figure during my childhood. He didn’t have digital tools, but he had time, love, and stories, and he was always involved in my education. That’s why I’m writing this blog post: to honor his legacy and reflect on how we, as parents, can pass that love for learning on to our children, one book, one moment at a time.

Every year, around late May and early June, my home quietly turns into a celebration zone. My kids’ birthdays are just days apart, and while there are usually a few shared gifts or celebrations, there’s one tradition that never changes: they each get a book from me. Not just any book, but one chosen with care. A story, a message, or a perspective that I hope will stay with them as they grow older.

This tradition didn’t begin with me. It goes back to my childhood, to a small apartment where books filled every corner and where the most important man in my life (my grandfather) became my father figure. He used to tell me, “Read the best books first because life is too short.” And I believed him.

My Grandfather’s Couch, A Place of Stories, Music, and Spirit

I spent most of my childhood with my grandfather. He used to pick me up after school and take me to his place, where reading wasn’t something we were told to do. It was simply something we did. My grandfather would sit on the couch, often listening to jazz or classical music, with a book resting in his lap. He wasn’t just reading; he was absorbing, reflecting, and living the words.

Sometimes, he’d pause the music to tell me stories, not just from the books he was reading or had read at some point in his life, but from the symphonies or Jazz standards he listened to and how it all connected to life, to the decisions I might one day have to make, to the kind of person I could become. For him, stories and music were food for the spirit. That belief in the power of ideas, words, music, and imagination shaped who I became.

My mother, too, was always reading. She was studying law while I was growing up, so I often found her deeply engaged in legal texts or writing papers. In a way, I was raised by books and the written word, and now I proudly carry that torch.

A Life in Books, A Legacy in Pages

I’ve always considered myself a bookworm. I’ve been surrounded by books for as long as I can remember. Books have always offered me more than just stories; they’ve been friends, companions, and even part of my self-care. When I left my home country, what I missed most (after my family and friends) were my books. They were part of the home I had built there, and now they’re part of the one I’ve built here. I’ve created my own library in my home office, but more importantly, I’ve been helping my kids build their own libraries since they were little. Because to me, a home filled with books is a home filled with possibilities.

That’s why, on birthdays and Christmas, I always give my children books, alongside the other things they might want. It’s my way of continuing the legacy of my grandfather. A reminder that books are more than gifts. They are invitations to other worlds.

My youngest still loves to curl up with me and listen to stories. I bring characters to life with voices, accents, and even the occasional improvised line, which sometimes earns me a disapproving glance or a playful “Dad, that’s not what it says!” But I cherish these moments deeply.

My oldest has moved into a different phase. He doesn’t want me reading to him anymore, but he loves discussing the books he reads. We have the best conversations over dinner or in the car, talking about characters, ideas, and what he thinks might happen next. It’s a new kind of magic, one built on dialogue and connection.

Advice for Fellow Parents

If you’re wondering how to get your kids into reading or keep them reading, here are a few things that have worked for me:

• Start with stories, not rules. Make reading feel like a gift, not homework.
• Read aloud (even to older kids). They may outgrow it eventually, but they’ll remember the feeling.
• Talk about books like you talk about movies or games. Normalize literary conversations.
• Give books that match their passions. Curiosity is the best motivator.
• Model it. Let them see you read. Let them hear you talk about what you read.

This Year’s Birthday Picks

This year, I picked two books that reflect who my kids are becoming: