Signing-ASL

00jennifer00

Does anyone do any sign language with current LO's or plan to with these babies?  Someone tried to talk me into it with #1, but I wasn't interested and the booger starting talking around 9mo.  Same with #2, she was speaking in full sentences so early (my parents said I was an extremely early talker too, but blamed it on me wearing a brace for the first 12mo and having nothing else to do except learn to talk).  #3 was our slow poke and didn't talk much until a little after his peers.  For homeschool this year we finally picked a second language to learn and decided on ASL.  We have 4 Signing Time videos (and 4 more in the mail as we speak) and #4 LOVES it.  She hums the song, and she signs more than she talks (she'll be 19mo in a few days).  Actually, she doesn't really speak much-DA for dog, MO for no, and she makes sounds that are like her name, plus a handful of others (no real mom or dad yet, stinker).  But she can sign so much.  A funny-the other day I was taking a picture of her and I said "say cheese" because she'll say "cheeeeeeeeeeeeee" for like 10 seconds.  This time though, she signed it.  LOL!  It was too funny.  I love teaching herself (and the rest of us) ASL.  It's so much fun.  And I had the pleasure of being introduced to a deaf man at church on Sunday (he is also mentally challenged, so although I would guess he's probably close to 40, he's very sweet and childlike).  He pointed to my Sea Bands and I just started signing to him.  It didn't register to his mother that I was signing, so she started saying what I signed and then signed it to him.  lol  My husband said he was impressed.  lol

PalaceMama

I took many ASL courses in college and almost trained to be a certified interpreter but they cancelled the program at my college so I ended up doing something else in the end.  

 I've used ASL with all three of my children.  It is a lot of fun and I think it helps reduce tantrums because they can communicate better.  All my children have also been early talkers too, which I partially contribute to the signing.  In fact, my oldest boy is filmed in the Baby Signing Time Series Vol. 4 "Let's Be Friends".  That was pretty fun to have him do.  

jahjbmr

I will just because I'm a speech therapist and going to be a nerd like that. It's also pretty damn cute 

5dogs

We started signing with DD when she was 9 months. She still asks for the videos. We're having a big issue with temper tantrums (she completely shuts down communication when she has one) so even though she won't verbally communicate with us in full tantrum mode, she'll sign - we'll take it.

teacherjulie

We did due to my daughters speech delay.  I will introduce early in hopes of less speech issues

Sparkles01

That's such a cute story about the man at your church!

I have a friend who is an interpreter and her 2yo signs incredibly well.  It's pretty spectacular!

aimeecasey

Sign with DD and love it! We started when she was 6 or 7 months old and she has caught on quickly. She also has several words, but she gets voice shy outside of our house, so signing has been wonderful when we are out and about. We plan to sign with this baby, too.

MrsEMH

Yes we will with this baby.  We did with both our others as well. My father is deaf so I think it's important for them to communicate and have that bond with him. 

Stellarpuppy

I will definitely be doing sign with my baby.  Even if it's not a full understanding of the language (I did two summer courses in sign but I'm far from fluent) it's a great early introduction to language and a back up in case they regress or have tantrums and won't talk.  I would love to be able to know my baby wants a cookie or orange juice because they can sign it instead of guessing what they want and frustrating them.  

 

Interesting story - the instructor's child was talking, walking and signing and decided to stop talking completely for a year (I think she said he was like 5 years old).  No idea why and he came back and started talking again after a while but just straight up stopped talking.  She was SO glad to have the sign language so she could still talk with him.