Baby Sign Language Thread #3

[RachelC]

Keep in mind, even if they are not looking directly at you, they are seeing it in their peripheral vision.  Keep it up 

[Khalam's Mama]

Oh I will for sure. Thanks

[becj86]

Thanks, hadn't thought of signing things he might be interested in... "leaf" would be a good one and maybe "duck". He cries so rarely (only if he is shocked by falling over and when he is getting dressed, really) since EASY works so well - his needs are all met before he really needs them

He's just worked out that he can move his high chair by swinging his legs (like you would on a swing) - he went forward til he could reach to grab his sippy cup off the table this morning.

[Papaya]

his needs are all met before he really needs them Cheesy

Felicity clearly understood milk loooong before she signed it, and I think this is why - she always knew the milk was coming as soon as she woke up, so why would she need to ask for it? Now she uses it hopefully if she wakes in the middle of the night 

Drink is a really handy one here though. I sometimes forget to put her cup on the table at breakfast time and she can remind me. She also sometimes signs drink when we get home after a long walk to remind me it's pretty hot.

She learnt mango a couple of days ago, and now asks for it after every meal...or halfway through a meal...  She doesn't always get it though!

[atlantamomofthree]

How long before your LO's watched what you were doing with your hands?

About 7-8 weeks old here. I was really surprised! Still watches them and he's 13 weeks now. I sign bath, cute, milk, eat, name, mama, daddy, his brother & sister's name signs, water, and diaper on a regular basis. There are others I sign to him too, but not on a daily basis, just as they come up. I want Signed English to be second nature to him as he gets older. I wish I knew real ASL but I don't so I just sign the ASL signs in English order to him (and my other children).

[amayzie]

She learnt mango a couple of days ago, and now asks for it after every meal...or halfway through a meal...   She doesn't always get it though!

Ooh- i have to learn that one too!! Although by the time he's using it mango season will be passed.... And it's always the way- teach them to communicate and they use it against you!!

I wish I knew real ASL but I don't so I just sign the ASL signs in English order to him (and my other children).

You definitely dont need to do ASL as it's a totally different language- signing the key words in english order is going to better support english language development anyway! (althoug bilingual is ASL and english would be cool- hard to achieve if you're not fluent!!)

[atlantamomofthree]

You definitely dont need to do ASL as it's a totally different language- signing the key words in english order is going to better support english language development anyway! (althoug bilingual is ASL and english would be cool- hard to achieve if you're not fluent!!)

Good point! I taught individual signs to DS1, Joshua, as I learned them (when he was a baby-I was new to it at the time) and he signed back to me before speaking and then WITH speaking and it made his toddlerhood much easier IMO. I now have a large vocabulary of signs and so do my kids (I still know more than they do somehow, though) so Samuel will be exposed to a lot more signs than Joshua even was. I LOVE signing with babies!

[lchuynh]

Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!

[amayzie]

Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!

Ditto!! my LO is still a bit small... he tends to eat the 'finished' sign when i do it... (our aussie sign is a thumbs up shaking)

[Chicane]

I'd love to post a video but DS has stopped signing! I still sign to him in certain situations, if we are at a playdate and I think he's done a poo for example, I can sign to him from across the room and he will nod yes or no. And the other day I was munching on some apple and so used the sign for shoes instead of the word cause my mouth was full and he nodded and went and got his shoes! I also continue to use the signs if he is over excited and not paying attention to my words - I find that signing makes him look at my hands and I can usually get my message across. But his language seems so advanced now, he is telling me stories! Also, he seems to be able to recall the smallest details from his books - I wonder if that is also a result from signing???

[amayzie]

I'm sure it all helps!! The research around signing is that it can support and encourage communication but doesn't necessarily bring on speech. However- that said- if the pressure is off speech to communicate then kids spend less time throwing tantrums and being frustrated and more time learning that communication is where it;s at!! Signing is excellent for receptive communication- what kids understand- and their ability to understand speech DRAMATICALLY reduces when they are frustrated- or over excited... this is where signing can be really important for keeping that communication open!! It also means that you don't use too much talk at the kids when everyone id frustrated... you can't talk at a million miles an hour and sign... unless ASL or auslan is your native language!!

hmm... reading back i'm not sure if that answers your question at all.. but i thought i'd post anyway as it's probably useful information... perhaps... can you guess signing is part of my day job?

[firsttimemummy]

Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!

I will see if I can link the one I posted on facebook but not sure if it will let me ... was M when he was little, just starting to sign really

[firsttimemummy]

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=191886225909 have made it public so see if it works

[Ima shel Alon]

WOW!!! That is so cute. How old was he here? He seems so young, like 9-10m?

We are signing now milk, eat, wake up, get dressed, sleep and hug. But still nothing from Alon, most of the time he doesn't even pay attention. I know that it's normal, but I just can't wait!

[firsttimemummy]

O signed "up" today after eating, and as I asked if he wanted up he signed "finished"

p.s ISA will need to check but think he must have been about that age ....