Baby signing

Ms5586 · January 2013

Who signs with their LO? What signs to do you have right now? We signed around 10-12 months, and then started slacking. We always do "all done" when he's done eating (so he stops throwing food across the tray and on the floor) and when it's time to get out of the tub.

Well, over the weekend, he started signing 'more' (he hasn't seen that sign in months), 'all done' to get out of the tub, and 'ea't (again, hasn't seen that in months). As far as I know, the daycare teachers don't sign.

I want to take advantage of this and teach him more signs - I'm thinking drink? Or should I do milk and water separately? Diaper, tired/sleepy, please/thank you.

I dont' want to sign for the words he knows - Copper/doggie, mom, dad, night night, hi/bye.

CMheart1011 · January 2013

We never signed consistently; we just had a mealtime Baby Signs book we read her. She picked up on "eat" and started using it consistently around 10-11 months (and still uses it) and can sign the other words in the book on command, but doesn't use them. She has such a large vocabulary now that I haven't bothered teaching her anymore. .

SusieBW · January 2013

Tatum uses more, please, and help really consistently, but that's about it. We have never been really good about using the signs we know all the time, so I'm just glad that she has a few that are useful. Occasionally, she signs diaper when she has to pee or if you ask her if she needs her diaper changed, and I think she might have her own version of the "all done" sign, but maybe she's just flailing her arms around. We're working on thank you right now.

She says "more" now too, so she doesn't sign it quite as often. But she just picked up the sign for help about 2 weeks ago. She signs milk when you ask her if she wants some, but not usually unprovoked. She'll hold up or point at her cup and sign and say more, though.

I should say that she kind of made all of her signs her own, too. More is just pointing her index fingers together, or just one finger into her opposite hand. Please is just a quick swipe across her chest. And for help, she just grips her hands together so tight they're shaking and holds them out toward you.

Ms5586 · January 2013

SusieBW:

And for help, she just grips her hands together so tight they're shaking and holds them out toward you.

Help is a great one! Maybe that'll knock down the frustration tantrums when he can't do something.

SusieBW · January 2013

cmoosey:
We do "more" and "please" and he used to know all done, bu now he only uses it to tell me that Bubble guppies is over. True story.

LOL!

Pips09 · January 2013

We were only ever really consistent on a few, and she will still use those. All done, more, eat and drink.

SusieBW · January 2013

Ms5586:
SusieBW:

And for help, she just grips her hands together so tight they're shaking and holds them out toward you.

Help is a great one! Maybe that'll knock down the frustration tantrums when he can't do something.

Yup. The real sign is a closed fist on an open palm, moved away from you at chest level, but T just grips her hands together really tight and holds them out to whoever she wants help from. She uses it the most when she wants someone to help her get up on her new chair, or when she wants something opened for her. But also just when she's playing and wants a hat on and she's having trouble doing it herself, or silly things like that.

I'm working on getting her to put them together now, like to say "help please" or "more please," but she's not really doing that independently yet, unless she wants something really, really badly, like more ice cream. Stick out tongue

mnewlee · January 2013

The only ones she does on a regular basis are milk and one she made up that means she wants me to hand her something that's out of her reach. She occasionally does more or eat.

When she started signing milk it significantly cut down on the whining. That was really nice.

I need to start doing please and thank you and help on a more regular basis.

hisaak · January 2013

We used please, thank you, more, all done, drink, eat, and help with both our kids. It covered most everything they needed. With Kai once it became obvious that he was delayed with his speech we began using more as per the pedi's advice to cut down on frustrations.

Halle is really verbal, so we don't do a ton of signing anymore. She still signs please, thank you, and help along with the word.

sozay23 · January 2013

Hailey does a ton of signs, mostly learned at daycare. I would definitely use water and milk separately H specifically asks for one or the other. We do milk, done, outside, dog, cat, water, more, shoes, diaper, hungry, please, thank you etc etc.

jupiterthecat · January 2013

We haven't been great about giving her a huge signing vocabulary, but the signs she has are really helpful, since she doesn't have a ton of words that she uses consistently. She does more (while saying "mamama"-- had to learn that that's different from "mommy"), and uses it both to say more (like when she's eating) and to ask for help (like when she can't figure out how to work a toy or something and wants us to hep). She does milk and water, and I do find it's helpful to do them separately because sometimes she wants one over the other. She does all done, book, wash hands, and I think that's about it.