The first two moms I knew who used baby sign language with their infants? My friend, Sharon and my sister-in-law, Heather. Sharon's son got to be so good at it that he was featured in a Japanese documentary on the subject! But I remember being equally astounded at the progress of my niece, Ada, who could communicate what she wanted with signs long before she could speak. "Eat," "more," and "all done" frequently flew off of her fingers!
When Heather was pregnant with her second child, my nephew, Daniel, she taught Ada the sign for baby. The day Daniel was born was one of the most special in my life, for many reasons, but also because I was caring for Ada in the birth-room when Heather pushed Daniel out of the womb into the world. At that exact moment, when he took his first breath and cried, Ada turned in my arms, made the sign for "baby," and said aloud, in the most precious voice, "Baby!" She was 16 months old, and she understood exactly what was going on and communicated that to me.
Babies truly can understand and communicate with us long before their vocal cords are mature enough for them to form specific words and word sounds. If we give them options on how to communicate with us, by teaching them baby sign, we help them to tell us how to meet their needs and have even have conversations -- rather than crying in distress until we cotton on to their meaning, whatever it may be. I encourage all parents to begin learning and teaching baby signs to their infants as early as six months. In that critical developmental stage between infancy and toddler years, when understanding leaps ahead but verbal communication may lag behind, children can communicate! It's wonderful.
To learn more, visit: http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/glossary-photos.html
When Heather was pregnant with her second child, my nephew, Daniel, she taught Ada the sign for baby. The day Daniel was born was one of the most special in my life, for many reasons, but also because I was caring for Ada in the birth-room when Heather pushed Daniel out of the womb into the world. At that exact moment, when he took his first breath and cried, Ada turned in my arms, made the sign for "baby," and said aloud, in the most precious voice, "Baby!" She was 16 months old, and she understood exactly what was going on and communicated that to me.
Babies truly can understand and communicate with us long before their vocal cords are mature enough for them to form specific words and word sounds. If we give them options on how to communicate with us, by teaching them baby sign, we help them to tell us how to meet their needs and have even have conversations -- rather than crying in distress until we cotton on to their meaning, whatever it may be. I encourage all parents to begin learning and teaching baby signs to their infants as early as six months. In that critical developmental stage between infancy and toddler years, when understanding leaps ahead but verbal communication may lag behind, children can communicate! It's wonderful.
To learn more, visit: http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/glossary-photos.html
