Jaden Timoun initially began as a language immersion preschool program for children ages 2 to 5 in the Summer of 2018. Co-Founded by Early Childhood Educator, Darnelle Champagne, Jaden Timoun has since expanded its programming to serve children ages 0 to 12. While we look forward to welcoming new families to Jaden Timoun, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate families that have been with us since day 1. Today, we’re featuring the Y-G Family – a multicultural family of 4: Mom, Yasuko, is Japanese and Dad, Steve, is Haitian-American. Together, they are raising two wonderful children – H. (age 4) & M. (age 2). The Y-G Family has attended several Jaden Timoun sessions over the years.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Yasuko and ask her some questions about their family’s experience with Jaden Timoun. Here is what she had to say:
Jaden Timoun (JT): What was your relationship with the Haitian Creole language before hearing about Jaden Timoun? What about your children’s relationship?
Yasuko (Y): My husband grew up speaking Kreyòl at home with his parents and grandparents, but hasn’t had much use for it outside of the house nor passed the age of twenty. Our kids have had little exposure to Haitian Kreyòl.
JT: Why was it important for you to participate in Jaden Timoun with your children?
Y: It’s important for us to give our children the opportunity to learn to speak Haitian Kreyòl . Firstly, because they have a large extended family, in Haiti and elsewhere, many of whom only speak Kreyòl. Secondly, Kreyòl provides a more authentic connection to Haitian culture in a way our kids cannot receive via any other language.
JT: What did you enjoy the most about Jaden Timoun?
Y: As a non-Kreyòl speaking parent, I got to learn about the language [along] with the kids. Also, we watched our kids get more and more familiar with Kreyòl and they stopped being shy around it. [It] was a great thing for us to observe.We love how the teachers and the facilitators create [a] warm and inviting atmosphere for our shy kids.
JT: Describe your childrens’ experience with Jaden Timoun.
Y: Our kids started out shy around the other children and facilitators. Before we took them to Jaden Timoun, they were also reluctant and often confrontational when asked to speak Kreyòl. However, since being at Jaden Timoun, we’ve watched them become more and more comfortable speaking and interacting in Kreyòl when prompted and spontaneously without being prompted . They now confidently ask questions about the language and the culture of Haiti all the time regardless [of] where we are.
JT: Would you recommend Jaden Timoun to other families? If yes, why?
Y: We would and we have. Being able to get our friends and family involved can only help our children grow in their understanding [of] the language and the culture of Haiti. Thank you for providing the space and community that our children needed to be able to engage in and learn Haitian Kreyòl! We look forward to seeing you all in the next session!
