signed in over two years, but he was
delighted to practise along with his
younger brother and join in on the
conversation.
Secrets of success
Much like there are early or late
talkers, every child develops differently
and may be slow to sign back. It helps
to remember that receptive language
catches on long before expressive
language, so your child can typically
understand your signs even if he
isn’t capable of signing back just yet.
Repetition and patience will serve you
well. The key is to be consistent with
it. By doing it often and incorporating
it into your baby’s routine, signing
becomes an unscripted and natural
extension of how you interact with him.
You don’t need to sign in full
sentences. Parents often sign just the
main noun or the verb in the sentence.
For example, if you are asking your
baby if she is sleepy, you need only
sign “sleep” to get the point across.
Kathie Glenn, who signed with
her son Oakley, says their signing
vocabulary was limited to ten to 15
words, but those few signs help diffuse
frustration at meal- and bedtime.
Make room for improvisation. At
first, children may choose their own
variation of the sign and sometimes
may even use the same sign to
describe multiple words. Much like
first words, it takes several attempts
before getting it right.
Let children take the lead. We
all find it easier to learn about things
that really interest us. When your
child points to something they are
interested in, that presents a perfect
point to introduce a new sign. And
choose support resources that work
for you and your child. My children
liked watching the
Signing Time
DVDs
and signing along with the songs.
Involve your peer group, family
and caregivers in the process. Baby
signs are simple enough for anyone
to learn and follow, and getting your
family and friends on board gives your
child an immersive experience. Rocky,
Lucian and my younger son would
meet for weekly play dates and relied
heavily on signs to engage with each
other. At 15 months, Lucian even put
together the sign “rock” to refer
to his buddy Rocky.
Signing lasts just a few months,
but the lasting impact it has on the
parent-child relationship is priceless.
Parents who sign with their babies
come away amazed at the bonding
and joy they experience. The fact
is, signing has gained widespread
acceptance and will continue to do
so, because it speaks to the very core
of what every adult and child alike
wants: to be understood.
At first, children may choose their
own variation of the sign and
sometimes may even use the same
sign to describe multiple words.
Much like first words, it takes several
attempts before getting it right.
