How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents Lesson Plan

What role does the extended family have in the lives of the Garcia girls?

Even though the girls have each other as companions and sisters, they also have "best-friend cousins" among their extended family. These are typically cousins who are closer in age to them than their own sisters. This serves a role of non-relative friends that they might have if their family was not as close-knit or close by, and if they did not live on a secluded compound. While this reinforces family norms and traditions, it is one that does not expose them to other children's upbringings and practices, which may be why the adults encourage them to bond with their cousins in the first place.