On a side note, I heard something funny tonight. After I had nursed Sophia at 2am or something, she went promptly back to sleep, but I was feeling awake and restless, so I sat down at the computer. About 20 minutes later I hear a sound from the nursery. Sophia is babbling. Oh no, I think. Please don't wake up. The sound stops. Then starts again. Then I realized she was talking in her sleep. So cute. I wish I could have understood what she said.
Lastly, here is a picture of Sophia at work. If you're interested in purchasing her art, contact me. :)
Posts
18 comments:
We have done some basic signing with both of our kids (and plan on doing it with this one as well) and my personal opinion is that it makes a huge difference. Even just knowing a couple of signs can make the communication so much easier during a stage where kids want to communicate with you but can't talk yet. I felt like it alleviated a lot of frustration for all of us.
I can't remember the website that we went through (it was 7 years ago), but signing has become so much more popular since then that there are tons of resources available. I'm sure your local library would have books and even DVD's to help you learn the most basic signs, so that you don't have to spend any money.
I think you're right on the money with the signs that you want to learn. The ones associated with eating and playing were the most helpful to me. Just knowing if they want more food or are all done is huge!
Good luck! It's actually a lot of fun to sign with them and communicate this way.
My advice: don't do it. It's a complete waste of time, and they start talking much later (why talk when you can sign). Sure if you have nothing else to do, try it, but like I said, I really don't think it's very helpful. Most babies start signing naturally anyway.
I have to COMPLETELY disagree with Isa on this one. I did not start using it until my 3rd child and have used it with all of them since and have just started using it with my 5th. In my experience, it GREATLY reduced the tantrums during the end of the first year and into the second because they could communicate their needs much better. My kids actually started speaking earlier and as they started speaking the signing would gradually phase out. My understanding is that neurologically it makes the language centers of the brain more developed. It has also come in handy now and then as my kids get older. For example, my daughter needed to use the restroom when we were at a meeting and were across the room from each other. She was able to let me know quietly and discreetly by signing "potty" to me. I have only used Signing Time (www.signingtime.com -click on the resources section and there are a ton of articles that should answer a lot of your questions and some sample videos)and I'd highly recommend it. They have a ton of videos with catchy songs and they probably have them at your library. They also show it on PBS sometimes. It teaches ASL signs as opposed to made up baby signs. I figure if I'm going to teach them something it may as well be a real language that might come in handy if they ever meet a deaf person. I don't feel that it takes any extra time as you just sign when you are talking to them. I feel it has really helped with the frustrating toddler times and increased their intelligence. Plus, its fun and easy! So much for conflicting advice! :-)
Oh, one more thing. If you just want to quickly find out a particular sign there are several online ASL dictionaries with video clips demonstrating the sign that I find very helpful.
Thanks guys. I disagree with you as well Isa. I have used signing in Daycare, and found it to be extremely helpful. Also, since I only speak German with Sophia I want her to have another means of communication that others can understand without understanding German. If I leave her with friends, I'd love if she can communicate her needs, even if she uses German words. Signing can cover that bridge.
In day care a lot of kids would use signs, and still start speaking at the normal developmental time. So, I'm a fan already.
What I was mostly curious about is how exactly you guys got started. For example, for milk, would you do the sign, and then start nursing or something? How exactly would you teach the signs?
We use signing for both of our kids too and it is SO helpful!! Luke isn't really talking a whole lot, but loves to sign and feels really happy when we understand him. It makes everything worthwhile.
Start signing milk when you give her some milk. Repeat the word and the sign at the same time and then give it to her. Same as more. Would you like more? Sign more. Then give her more. So, do the signs and tell her the word at the same time and she will catch on and start doing them herself. Definitely good for babies and I agree it lessens the tantrums between mom and child when they are trying to tell you what they want. We like milk, drink, more, wash, please, play, mother, father, cat, dog, diaper, etc. With Allie I watched signing time and learned them for myself, then just used them with her as we ate or played, etc. and she caught on.
One of my friends uses sign language for her little daughter. They have DVDs that they watch with her (the once that Reni mentioned). In those DVDs they repeat the sign a lot. And that is actually the best way to learn. This is how I learn sign language in my sign language class: repetition. Just make the sign whenever possible.. using the milk sign for nursing would be awkward though. Unless you want her to ascotiate your boob with the milking sign (it is done like milking a cow) :) I would maybe use the sign for eat. If you do use the DVDs make sure you watch them with her, otherwise she will learn signs that you have no clue what they mean :)
I have nothing to say about signing, but I'd love to buy Sophia's artwork! (no...I think it's great you make her paint already)
haha! Thanks Marie. She's done a couple of paintings. It's really fun to watch her experience the sensation of paint on her hands.
So, I reserved those signing time DVD's. We'll see how it goes. I'm excited to start trying to teach her some signs. I think we'll start with milk for nursing, and eat for all her other foods (she doesn't eat). And then add 'more' and 'all done'. How exciting.
I'm happy it all worked out for you guys. For us it didn't. And Fé started signing naturally (her own sign language, if that's what you want to call it). Children are incredibly creative that way, I don't want to limit them to a sign that I made up for them. Honestly, I will know when my child is hungry, I don't have to wait for her to sign it.
As to language acquiring, I haven't read any research on it, but I feel that it took longer for Fé to say words because she would constantly sign. She still signs "drinking" to me, and never says the word. I don't know if there is a difference with bi-or tri-lingual children.
Anyway, all I'm saying is that for us, it turned out to be a big waste of time and a lot of added, unnecessary stress for both mom and daughter.
Good luck to you and Sophia!
Well, I don't mind kids being creative, but the signs you use for baby signing aren't actually made up. They are ASL (American Sign Language - the language of the deaf) and so an actual language.
They do say that children who grow up bilingual (and I would assume the same goes for trilingual) start speaking later. So, it could have very well been that Fe spoke a little later because of that, and not of the signing.
If you always know exactly what Fe wants then that's great. But, I think allowing children to express themselves clearly before they are verbally capable is great. It's not just that it helps me know what they want, it allows them to communicate with me. I know when Sophia is clearly hungry. But sometimes she's just fussy and I'm not sure why. Imagine how cool it would be if then she could communicate hot, pain, tired, hungry, or daddy...instead of me checking diapers, temperatures, nursing her more etc. until I can figure out what's wrong this time.
Yes, in theory it's all very wonderful. I just don't think most 1 year olds know why they are fussy, and signing doesn't help. And I'm not even saying it isn't working for anyone ever, just that Fé and I didn't get anything out of it, at all. I just felt it was unnecessary stress added to an already stressful life. But power to you!
(And I'm sorry, but American Sign Language IS a made-up language).
Sorry it was so stressful Isa! It's true not everything works for everyone, and I think you probably have a good point that young children don't necessarily know what they want or why they are fussy. So, there'll probably be pitfalls. But, I'm excited to try. And, even if ASL is man made, so are other good things like writing, that I consider worth learning. ;)
Thanks to everyone though for your input and ideas (pros and cons!!)
We used 'milk' for nursing and for a bottle of formula with Olivia and now that she drinks regular milk (cow's, soy, rice, etc), she does not seem confused at all. Both Olivia and Andrew would sign milk throughout a nursing/bottle session and feel so happy with themselves. I respond with the sign and the spoken word. It's like a fun little game we can play while they're nursing and I think it creates even more bonding.
'More' and 'all done' are really helpful with mealtimes. At first I would sign more and then give more. With Andrew I can even take his hands and help him sign more before I give him another bite. Olivia would never let us control her hands like that though! She would jerk them away. All done is trickier b/c sometimes they're just fussing and you can't tell if they want more or something different or if they're really all done. At first I caught myself throwing a bunch of signs their way trying to figure out what they were whining about. I think that just confused them. So while they're learning that one, I wait until I'm really ready to remove the tray, or until they've emptied out a bowl/bottle, or right as we finish nursing before I sign all done so that they really understand the concept.
Well, it looks like you've gotten a lot of advice. As for teaching her, I would just suggest that every time you say the words that you want her to sign, do the sign also. It's probably not necessary to just do one or two at a time and wait until she gets it...it would take way too long. It would also be important for Henry to do it, too, in the English equivelant so she'll learn that the sign for More is the same even if the German and English words are different.
Also, I would only do as many signs as you feel like you can do consistently.
We only did one sign with Sofia: "more." All the other important words she could say already. I just made the sign, said the word, and then gave her more. It only took a couple of tries during one meal and then she started doing it herself after that. It's come in pretty handy.
Hallo Franzi,
Ich hab' mir einige Zeichen auf dieser Webseite ausgesucht: http://signingbaby.com/main/?pp_album=main&pp_cat=signing-baby-dictionary
Ich hab vor ein paar Monaten angefangen, die Zeichen mit Jonas zu benutzen und dabei natürlich gleichzeitig mit ihm zu reden. (Vorm/beim Essen, Stillen, Schlafen usw). Inzwischen ahmt er einige mehr oder weniger nach. Ich bin nicht so drangeblieben, weil ich das Gefühl hatte, er plappert viel nach. Sophia ist ja etwas jünger, ist bestimmt gut, wenn du damit anfängst. Ich glaube auch das es sehr helfen kann, Wutanfälle zu vermeiden, weil das Kind sich so besser verständigen kann. Viel Glück.
Post a Comment