to sign or not to sign?

[pangmei]

Just wondering if there are any mums/dads willing to share their experiences with teaching their babies to sign. When did you start? What resource(s) do you use?

Also interested in hearing from those who have decided not to teach their babies to sign and the reasons.

Thanks,

Grace

 

[mscheerful]

No matter how, you will sign to your babies because they can't talk yet. I did not use any of the 'materials' that are selling in the market but i do my own signings with my baby when he was like 3 months or as long as he begins to response to my voice and looking around. I am not the extensive type but just do as much as I can. Example like when I say 'milk', he will hold his two hands together and shake or the common ones like star, aeroplane, monkey, elephant, tiger, making pee, poo, etc. I can't remember when he did his first sign but I guess when he was sitting up. It is fun when you say a word, they sign or sign together - get the whole family involve.

 

[MLBW]

I chose to not sign with my baby because of his personality and temperment (as well as my personality and temperment)--I had a lot on my plate when my son was born including some major health difficulties and my son is a very busy child (everyone we know says so)--he does not hold still easily (from day one) and I just didn't need to pile one more "thing to do" on my plate. He was always quite advanced as far as development goes (held head up at birth, sat up at about 4 months, crawled at 5 months, said first word at 5 months and first Cantonese word at 6 months and he started walking on his own at 8 1/2 months for example) so we always had a lot to focus on and didn't have much free time to work on making him learn "signs."

Now that my son is a year-old he has started to point at things and make noises--either he wants what he points at or he is asking, "What is that?" or saying, "Oooh...I like that." (I can tell by the tone of his voice what he's saying). That's enough "signing" for us. He waves when we say "bye bye" and is learning to do the "Kung Hei Fat Choi" hands from his grandparents. He's quite good at copying.

In other words, early on I could read his cues well enough and listen to the tone of his cry to know what he needed/wanted so I chose to make that our primary way of communication.

 

[Frenchy]

I've decided not to do it neither, because my son had his ways to express himself very quickly too, pointing, or by the tone of his voice, some noises (like mam-mam when hungry), or by taping on his nappies when he is having a pee )), going to the right drawer when he wants a cake, clapping when he is happy... and if I don't understand then he will be tempted to use words more quickly. Signs won't be used for a long time, as words will come quicker. I'm also tempted to say that they might use signs instead of talking, and that apart from you and the family, nobody else can understand (like the babysitter), but it's a very personal thought.

 

[Portia]

I bought a book and taught my LO a few signs when he was around 7 months old and as the PP says you make up your own signs as well. Although I had intended to teach him more, in the end I procrastinated and then he started talking at 9 months so I didn't bother any more.

 

[0ze_Kid]

I loved the idea but when you are the only person in the house willing to do it then it isn't really worth it.

 

[MilkMonster]

i started signing with my elder son when he was 6mths. it took him over a month to learn the sign for 'milk' and that was really discouraging for me so i stopped. At 16mths, when my younger son was born, I signed him up for kindermusic's sing and sign so my MIL would have an activity they could do together while i was making rounds to the hospital. HE LOVED IT!! he came home signing 'bubbles' 'ball' 'more' all within the 2 weeks of the 4 week program. so we went along with it and taught him 'music' 'dance' 'eat' 'drink' 'please''thank you' and some animals (he was already talking at this point but he really seemed to enjoy the signs. he would say the word and sign at the same time.) now at 22mths, he still uses signs when he speaks and we play a guessing game - I sign 'bear' and he says 'BEAR!'. I am hoping it can be something he can teach his little brother and a fun thing for them to play together.

i started off wanting to sign bc i heard it would make my child 'smarter' and to avoid communication related tantrums but we really only went along with it when he showed interest and it's more of a fun thing. i don't regularly introduce new signs. we are still at the same 20 or so signs. I guess I could look up more...maybe i should do that instead of being on geobaby!! haha

 

[pangmei]

Thanks all for your replies.

 

[mamaS]

I bought the book, and signed religiously from 6 months, baby was so good in signing, he managed to know everything from 10 months up, my concern was he did not talk early unlike other kids (i know all kids are different), at 1 yr he can only say daddy, not even mama. To make the story short, he only started really saying words from 22 months. I stop signing him at 1 1/2 yrs as i was worried already.

Will i use baby sign for my next baby? definetely NO, i have given away all the baby signs books and CDs. Like other moms, i'll just stick to normal signing like milk, bye bye, but not necessarily all the words in the book.

 

[Koan]

We sign. I never bought any books but downloaded some baby signs from Auslan. We don't use many, just milk, bath, more and a few others. My 10mnth old son signs 'milk' a lot. It's useful because I don't understand anything that he says. ;-)