Baby Sign

Just a few weeks ago I decided I'd try teaching Philip to sign Bath, but I couldn't off the top of my head remember what it was. So I just made up my own sign (rubbing my belly as if I'm washing myself, which I think is pretty close to what the ASL sign is?) and he did it immediately. He now asks for his bath at night when he's ready for it, he took to it instantly. The first signs took longer to teach. With our next baby I'll start teaching signs WAY earlier, we've had such agreat success with it, and Philip is always proud of himself when he's done one... will do a sign and then say "Good Boy!"

I endorse it too. I taught my younger sibs when they were babies. It is cool to see little people express themselves when they don't have words yet. Even if you don't use the baby signs taught... some make no sense in my opinion, you can make "home signs" to suit your family's needs.

Since working in the UK I've also learned about Makaton.

http://www.makaton.org/about/about.htm

It pairs picture icons with signs and speech. I haven't studied much about it but schools here for children with communication problems really are into it.

It's something that I would do - and wish had been around when my brothers were little!    But then I want to (re)learn sign anyway - as I suspect I'm losing my hearing...

Our DD started signing at about a year - we had been doing certain signs with her since birth: change (diaper), eat, more, and finished.

It does cut down on the frustrations like everyone said. Then there are moments like 2 minutes ago when DH had signed with her that he was going to change her diaper, and then she kept signing finished to me- we finally decided she was saying she was finished playing.

She started talking before she started signing - she said Dada, Mama, Da (dog) and a couple of other things before she started the signing. She is still actively working on her words, but in the mean time, given that she is a girl who knows her own mind, it is nice that she can express herself without going "AAAAH" quite as much of the time. 

MTA: DH actually speaks Swiss German with DD and I speak English with her. It is interesting. Each of us can say a word that she knows a sign for in the respective language and she does the corresponding sign. I think they are just little sponges at this age and they just soak it all up and end up with fluency in more than one language. That's what happened with DH - his dad is British, his mom Swiss and he just grew up speaking both languages. I think it will be the same for these kids who learn to sign as well as speak.

I am going to use sign... while I did not see any classes here in Devon, my SIL can sign...

I grew up bilingual and will teach my child both Spanish and English.  A friend of mine exposed her children to four different languages and has had no problems. 

In case anyone might find it useful, this is the website I use to look up the ASL signs we use with DD

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

Out of curiosity - how much different is BSL from ASL?  I'm too lazy to hit google and look.

They aren't the same at all. ASL sort-of descended from a combo already used signs in the states and French Sign Language.

My niece is teaching her 15 month old simple signs. His cousin has Down's so they want the kids to be able to communicate in case the cousin grows up with limited verbal skills (he's too young at this point to tell how limited he'll be).

They are teaching the kids SEE (Signing Exact English). It's easier to learn that ASL or BSL and can be understood by those who know both. It's commonly taught to those with developmental disabilities who have little or no verbal skills.

This is great!  I'm going to do this for sure when baby is old enough (What do people think is a good age?)  Thanks for the link Carly, there is a program in my town pretty close by.

This is great!  I'm going to do this for sure when baby is old enough (What do people think is a good age?)  Thanks for the link Carly, there is a program in my town pretty close by.

Start getting in the habit of signing while you speak when the baby is very young. It's good practice for you. My niece started when her baby was 6-7 months old.

Good advice, thanks Paula.  Hmm, is there a book to buy. (I have a real problem don't I!)

Here's the book I have. It's easy to understand and use, the instructions for each sign is very clear. It's used by many SEE classes in the US.

Looks great, I'll ask my mom to send it to me.

They aren't the same at all. ASL sort-of descended from a combo already used signs in the states and French Sign Language.

Got it.  Ah, always the melting pot aren't we?