Wouldn’t it be just great to know just what is it exactly that your baby wants at that very moment? Imagine having to lessen the stress and frustration on both yourself and your baby. Knowing instantly what your baby wants and giving it to him would lessen the probability of having a meltdown. Actually, this is possible.
Research has shown that if you teach your baby how to sign he would be able to communicate as early as 6-9 months. Your baby’s brain is still developing, so spoken language is still difficult for him. Most babies learn to communicate through words by age of 1-1 ½ years of age. However, coordination and motor skills are developed enough to do sign language. Learned gestures increases understanding between baby, parent, and caregiver, thus improving the relationship between infant and adult. Babies who learn to sign at an early age were observed to have more vocabulary and able to construct sentences better compared to those who don’t. It is not true that babies who are taught to sign will not learn how to talk properly. As long as you sign and say the word simultaneously, your baby will still know how to talk. Since the baby is able to communicate correctly, he is smarter and able to learn better. Temperament and behavior is also tamed and controlled for better communication between baby and parent or caregiver leads to lesser frustration and confusion, lessening the incidence of tantrums.
Learn the Secrets of Baby Sign… “Discover how I taught my 6 month old baby to tell me exactly what he wanted… And learn how YOU can use Baby Signing to communicate effectively with YOUR baby before he/she can talk!”
The bond between parent and child increase the baby is now able to share what he has observed or experienced with his parent. He would be able to tell you that he saw a bird, a spider, or a balloon, and be able to tell his delight on his discovery. You will not only just hold your baby and nod over something that he is babbling even though you do not understand what he said. Signing gives your baby the advantage of improved interaction that can foster good self-esteem and self-confidence.
You can use your own method of signing, or do the recommended gestures of ASL. Either way, as long as you share your mode of signing to the family and to caregivers, your baby will still be able to communicate. There are different ways for you to learn sign language. There are certain sites that offer you a course for basic baby sign language, or you can order DVD’s, or enroll in baby ASL programs that can teach you basic sign language that is easy to understand, but not that complex or difficult for your baby to perform.
- Signing Time! – ($129.99). It has 4 sets of dvd’s, 4 sets of cd’s, and 4 sets of signing flash cards that can help both you and your baby learn how to sign.
- Baby Signs – ($39.95) offers a started DVD of 6 basic start signs, a parent DVD containing 100 signs, an 80-page parent guide, flip cards, and board books of signs categorized according to use (i.e. bath time signs, meal time signs). Aside from the offered DVD program, they also have instructional class so you can bring your baby along as both of you learn how to sign.
- Babies and Sign Language – offers 3 different instructional DVD’s of sing language according to your child’s age. Baby sign language is priced $29.95 in Amazon.com
- WeeHands – offers resource links on DVD’s to order to help you and your child sign. They also offer classes that can guide parents to effectively use sign language with babies.
