Baby talk

Young moms from Japan find a common language at Baby Hui events

STORY SUMMARY »

When Yuka Terada moved to Hawaii from Japan, she didn't know anyone locally and spoke little English. She was faced with raising her infant son far from her own family.

Baby Hui » 25th anniversary: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday » Place: Oahu Country Club » Admission: $45, $85 per couple » Call: 735-2484 or e-mail executive_director@thebabyhui.org

Finding the Japanese Baby Hui has made living in Hawaii a tad easier -- providing an outlet for new mothers like her who might not be able to communicate or are cut off from their families.

"The Baby Hui helped us make Japanese friends," Terada said. "To know that everyone almost has the same problems, feelings and tough time makes me feel relieved."

The moms and kids have been uniting for play dates, barbecues, beach outings and more since the 25-year-old Baby Hui expanded its programs to reach out to Japanese-speaking families.

Many of the women came to Hawaii because of their husbands' jobs, according to Mizuho Karo, the Japanese Hui leader. "It is lonely for a mom in a new place."

Forty families are still on a waiting list to join, Karo added.

Naomi Swenson, another member of the Japanese Hui, can relate to the loneliness.

"This was my first baby, and I wanted to know about problems and worries," she said. Finding the hui gave her an outlet for her concerns. "We share stories about our babies and pregnancies."

Another draw for Swenson is the group's cooking school. "Not all of the moms married Japanese. Some are married to Caucasians, Chinese, Hawaiians and Koreans," she said, and need to learn styles of cooking beyond Japanese. "The last class focused on Asian cooking. They taught us how to make Korean food."

The youngsters, like Swenson's son, 1-year-old Kai, enjoy the class as well. "The babies are crawling around and playing with toys ... someone always taking turns watching them," she said.

"Eventually, my son will go to preschool and kindergarten, with English only," Swenson added. "The hui is helping to make the babies bilingual."

---

FULL STORY »

Children learn, play and explore from the first years of their lives -- and all that is often best done in the company of other youngsters.

With this in mind, Joan Kreeger and Lee Ann Mitchell started the Baby Hui in 1982. The hui served as a support group, reaching out to all Hawaii parents regardless of race, religion or income level.

The hui, which included mostly stay-at-home mothers, has evolved to include a variety of other groups. A Japanese Baby Hui unites Japanese-speaking moms, and a Working Mother's Hui is getting off the ground, starting Oct. 13.

The hui serves more than 400 families on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, with a membership that includes at-risk parents, teen parents and parents of children with special needs.

"We have lots of requests for resource groups for adopted children," said Baby Hui Executive Director Liz Stone. "We are adapting to the needs instead of prescribing what a hui should be -- it is a wonderful bonding experience."

In its 25-year history, the Baby Hui has organized groups of parents and their babies and toddlers to support, encourage and empower families to meet the challenges of child-rearing.

The Hui also places more than 400 families in support groups each year, holds community play days and promotes positive parenting skills to help prevent child abuse.

"The Baby Hui is the only organization in the state to offer our unique style of parent support and peer education and training," Stone said.

Parents who have been through hui peer-group sessions become facilitators for the 10-week programs, leading discussions and directing participants to resources in the community.

"The parent participants learn parenting ideas from the other participants and develop a unique bond with others who live in the same geographic area and have a child in the same age group," Stone added.

"Research has consistently shown that parents who participate in peer groups feel more confident as parents, are more likely to volunteer or advocate in their communities, and their children are more likely to be successful in school."

---