Sign language and babies. I have a question.

andrew's wifey

How many signs did you start off with?

Right now we are just kind of toying with it, but we are doing 'milk' and 'ceiling fan'.  We try to do 'mom' and 'dad', but it's awkward for some reason- how did you teach these two?

She signs 'milk' in the morning when I go get her out of bed.  She does it the whole way down the stairs and then gets this goofy giggle when she finally sees her bottle.  So damn cute.

FutureMrsOKD

We started with "more" and "done".  He thought "more" meant food for a long time, which was fine because it still got the point across- he wanted food. Then we added drink, and then milk and juice (so we knew what he wanted). 

After the basics, he sort of realized his hands could "talk." So we started using sign (no, stop, sit, refrigerator, cheese, home, angry, etc) when we talked to him and he picked them up.

hippotree

More, milk, please, and all done.

We didn't really teach mom and dad - we sort of slacked off after those four signs.  We teach certain signs when we think of it, like if we are talking about the cat, we'll show them the sign for cat.

ludicrous

We just use a few.  All done, please, and thank you.  She misuses all done, has no interest in saying please and is decent at thank you.  I didn't bother with mama, dada since she can say those things.

KKM

We do more, all done, milk, and food.  I am also going to start stop.  I have a very stubborn, strong willed baby:)

jCamsquared

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

ludicrous

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

We are not hard core at all, and while we were strongly encouraged to do it in our parenting classes I really had no plans on doing it at all until she hit close to eleven months and I realized there were some words that she won't be able to say for a while but might need to communicate to help stop the tantrums.  I don't teach stuff like cat or fan because 1) she can say cat and 2) it isn't critical IMO

MrsVonKikabee

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

GAWD. Your kid will be scarred for life.

OP - we sign all done & more. Working on cat, dog, please, sleep, bed, etc. My sister did a ton of signs with my nephew and she would just sign everything they did. Ate breakfast - signed orange juice & milk. Read Good Night Gorilla - signed gorilla. And on and on.

MrsVonKikabee

Oh my sister also says that waving hi/bye and high fives count as signs, too.

jCamsquared

MrsVonKikabee:

Oh my sister also says that waving hi/bye and high fives count as signs, too.

Hooray! Jamie does sign after all! HAHA

Kristinmo

jCamsquared:

MrsVonKikabee:

Oh my sister also says that waving hi/bye and high fives count as signs, too.

Hooray! Jamie does sign after all! HAHA

YES!!  So does DS!  (We're with you jCam- we never did any signs).

MrsVonKikabee

jCamsquared:

MrsVonKikabee:

Oh my sister also says that waving hi/bye and high fives count as signs, too.

Hooray! Jamie does sign after all! HAHA

HAHA count it!

DrBeepersWife

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

You're not. I couldn't get my day care provider to help me teach A so I gave up. 

JenniferJaneC

"More," "milk," "done," and just for kicks, "ceiling fan."

Guess which one he uses CONSTANTLY?

CWinfree85

A lot of the therapists that I work with start out with "more" "all done" and "want". They will work up to other things such as animal signs or things like "music" but most of the kids I work with use more and all done on a consistent basis.

leslie13510

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

We did a few unintentionally, but that's it.  For "more" we went with a hand movement that Nathan was already doing when he finished the food on his tray.  I just started copying the movement one day while asking if he wanted more.  Over a week or two it started to mean "more" to him and that's what both of them used to tell me they were still hungry when their plates were empty.  "All done" has a similar story, as well as "milk" and "sleepy".  But as for actual, intentional ASL signing?  None here.  They were both pretty verbal, especially Riley, and she spoke for both of them up until about 15-18 months when Nathan started speaking for himself more.

jCamsquared

SharkFarts:

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

You're not. We don't sign with the babe at all.

Unrelated - I'm dying to know who you are.

AJplusKev

We did "milk," "more," "all done," "please," and "thank you" routinely.

He knows cat and grandma (doesn't get grandpa) just for fun. He used to know "truck."

He still uses all done and please on a daily basis, and I think I do too

He loves sign, and I'd like to get a DVD, but it's not a priority. Plus he's plenty verbal as it is.

sourapplemartini

We did "eat", "More" and "all done". 

jCamsquared

SharkFarts:

jCamsquared:

SharkFarts:

jCamsquared:

Sometimes I feel like we're the only parents in the world who aren't doing any signing.

You're not. We don't sign with the babe at all.

Unrelated - I'm dying to know who you are.

Eh, it wouldn't be that exciting if I told you. I used to be around, but decided I needed more anonymity. Plus, I love 30 Rock.

Well whoever you are, I love your sn, and I SPPH 30 Rock. ?