| Why Teach A Hearing Baby Sign Language? | | | | In my experience being able to tend to your babies |
| Many parents wonder why they should teach their | | | | needs without the frustration is reason enough to |
| baby Sign Language if their hearing is just fine. Isn't that | | | | teach them Baby Sign Language, but there are many |
| introducing something unnatural and unnecessary? The | | | | more incredible benefits. |
| answer is no. It is perfectly natural, more than most | | | | Teaching Baby Sign Language promotes healthy social |
| people realize and the benefits are amazing. | | | | and emotional development. Being able to |
| Babies are communicating to the best of their ability as | | | | communicate gives your child the opportunity to |
| soon as they are born. They develop at an incredible | | | | explore more and share more allowing them to |
| rate during the first three years just trying to get down | | | | develop to their full potential. |
| the basics. A newborn infant cries when it needs | | | | Teaching Baby Sign Language helps babies learn to |
| something because it has no other choice. He cannot | | | | talk sooner. One of the most common concerns I hear |
| point to what he wants, say what he wants or move | | | | as an instructor is "Will my baby learn to rely on signs |
| to what he wants. | | | | and decide not to speak?" Scientific studies prove |
| Soon he will develop cries that are slightly different | | | | exactly the opposite. When a baby learns to crawl |
| from one another, taking communication one step | | | | they realize that they can get from here to there and |
| further. Parents learn to tell the "hungry" cry from the | | | | work on improving that skill into something that works |
| "tired" cry or the "hold me" cry. | | | | even better. The same goes for signing. A baby |
| Then he will start to coo and babble, trying to tell you | | | | realizes they can communicate and grasps the |
| about his world. | | | | concept of communication at a much younger age. |
| And then he will start pointing at objects and using the | | | | When you understand what your baby is saying you |
| tone of his voice to get a point across. This phase | | | | repeat it back allowing them to hear the words more |
| lasts from around 4-6 months up until around two | | | | often, helping them to learn to speak the word sooner. |
| years. That is a long span of time to have limited | | | | Teaching Baby Sign Language creates a stronger |
| communication when it is entirely possible to have | | | | bond. Your baby can tell you what they see or hear, |
| wonderful conversations with your child that you can | | | | what interests they have. This gives you a priceless |
| actually understand! | | | | window into the life of your child. You and your child |
| Baby Sign Language is much more natural than most | | | | can share their world together. Their needs are met |
| parents realize. We all teach our babies to wave | | | | faster and more accurately. |
| "Bye-bye", shake their head "Yes" or "No." We show | | | | Using Baby Sign Language in a daycare setting is a |
| them how to blow on their food when it's "Hot" or | | | | great way to create a universal language between |
| gently pet our arm if we want them to be "Gentle." | | | | babies and caregivers. It can help comfort a child who |
| These are all gestures used in Baby Sign Language. | | | | is upset about Mommy leaving, helping to explain that |
| Expanding their vocabulary gives you and your child | | | | Mommy will be back soon. |
| some great advantages. | | | | The benefits of Baby Sign Language don't end when |
| By teaching them signs for things like "Eat", "Drink", | | | | your child starts talking. Most children start dropping |
| "More" and "All Done" you eliminate many tantrums | | | | their signs as they start speaking more words, |
| that come from a child being hungry and not having | | | | eventually leaving all their signs behind. But the benefits |
| the tools to communicate what they need. Think about | | | | of what they've learned have just begun. |
| this: Your child wants some milk. A baby that doesn't | | | | The more gestures a baby uses at 14 months the |
| know signs will start by grunting and pointing in the | | | | larger their vocabulary is at 4.5 years. A larger |
| direction of where she thinks it might be. Of course if | | | | vocabulary is directly linked to a higher level of |
| you're in the middle of the grocery store or the back | | | | success later in life. |
| yard you might think she's pointing at something | | | | Babies who were taught to sign scored an average of |
| completely different. Then she will start getting more | | | | 12 points higher on an IQ test at age eight than those |
| and more upset until she reaches a full blown tantrum... | | | | who were not taught to sign! |
| and we all know how much fun that can be in the | | | | Teaching Baby Sign Language can make potty training |
| middle of the grocery store. A baby that has been | | | | before the age of two possible and even easier than |
| taught to sign will simply get your attention and make | | | | waiting until after age two! |
| the sign for "Milk" which is basically waving "Bye-bye" | | | | We all want what's best for our children. We want to |
| sideways (like you are milking a cow.) The giggle they | | | | give them the best chance to lead a happy and |
| let out when you say back to them "You want your | | | | successful life. Teaching them Baby Sign Language is |
| milk?" is adorable. They are ecstatic that they have | | | | one of the best things you can do for your child. |
| been understood. | | | | |