My Baby Language Sign
Baby language sign teaching would be on the top of my list of favorite 'what-to-talk-about-with-other-moms'. Why? Simply put - because it really really works!
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So I bought Dr. Joseph Garcia's Baby Sign Language Kit called "Sign with your Baby". The kit came with a book, video and a reference guide of about 40 most common signs.
After watching the video and skimming through the pages of the book, I started showing the 'Milk' sign to Faith. She just turned 8 months so it was an ideal stage for her to learn. It's at this stage (according to Dr. Garcia) when baby's memory is more advanced and that he has acquired better coordination to make hand signs.
OK. So I did the 'milk' sign before I nursed her.
And I 'milk' signed while I was breastfeeding her.
Again and again. And again. Repetition, as Dr. Garcia said, was the key.
Nothing happened for the next 2 weeks. I wasn't so sure about myself. What'smore, my 'supportive' husband Mike would silently snicker away everytime I'd 'milk that imaginary cow' (see how to do the 'milk' sign here).
But on the third week, something miraculous happened.
One morning, when I asked Faith if she wanted 'Milk', she looked at me with bright eyes and with her teeny left hand, she signed back to me... Milk!
Hallelujiah!
There was even this incident in the middle of the night that I will never forget.
Faith woke up wanting to nurse. But instead of crying her eyes out for her 'midnight drink', she silently tapped my shoulder while I was in bed (by the way she was co-sleeping with us at this time). When I turned over to look at her, she politely (and silently) showed me the 'milk' sign.
Now that was a priceless moment!
And, yes, my husband thinks his wife's the greatest!
From then on, it was like a dam that broke! I'd slowly show other signs later on and little by little she's sign them back. In fact, check out the chart below. It lists all the signs that Faith learned in a span of six months.
You probably want to know if Faith eventually talked. Well, I've never had any concern that the signing will slow down Faith's speech.
In fact, I honestly think it had the opposite effect!
As of this writing, Faith is 16 months and I hate to sound like a bragging mom (but hey, it's my website and I can say whatever I want to say;-) but her vocabulary and speech is exceptional. She can say over 100 words and talks in sentences such as:
- "Where's the ball (bird, dog, cat or other animal or object) gone?
- "Monkey's eating banana", Mommy's eating cereal"
- "Faith taking a bath"
- "Open the gate, please."
- "Daddy's not here. Daddy's at work."
- "How does the dog (or other animal) go? Woof Woof!"
She's stopped using most hand signs since she's learned how to talk. But she'd do the occasional sign for 'toilet', 'more', 'eat' and 'book'.
Happy signing!
Note: I've taken videos of Faith making most of these baby signs. Please visit our site again as I will upload these mini movies for you to see for yourself how incredible baby sign language is (and that I'm not talking any BS;-)
Faith's Baby Sign Language Chart :
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Return to Baby Sign Language Main Page
The 3 First Signs to Teach Your Baby
Do you want to start teaching your baby today? Here's how you can get started by teaching these 3 essential baby signs.
Baby Sign Language Games and Activities
Here are some games and activities that can encourage your baby to learn baby signs language more effectively.
| Some snapshots of Faith at 10 months "talking" with her hands. I started teaching her baby sign language when she was seven months. Click on the photo to see Quicktime movie. Note: If you do not have Quicktime movie, you can download here.
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