| Every parent knows that in the early years of | | | | commodity and extremely marketable. Although |
| parenting, communication between you and your | | | | the numbers are growing, companies love |
| child can be difficult. As a new parent we | | | | hiring multilingual employees because they |
| try to decipher our baby's cries. Are they | | | | are few and far between.American Sign |
| hungry, tired, sleepy, lonely, uncomfortable? | | | | Language can be learned in a variety of ways. |
| It is a constant challenge to figure out what | | | | You can you can go to the American Sign |
| our child needs. What if there was a way to | | | | Language online dictionary here: This is a |
| bridge the communication gap between you and | | | | great tool and it is free! The signs are |
| your baby? Some say there actually is!Baby | | | | shown as a video; which many people find more |
| Sign Language has recently become a hot topic | | | | helpful than trying to figure them out by |
| among new parents. Parents and caregivers, | | | | reading a diagram. There are hundreds of |
| with much success, are learning sign language | | | | words to choose from, so you will be able to |
| in hopes to better communicate with their | | | | look up any word that will be helpful when |
| children. Tess, mom of 11 month-old Julia | | | | communicating with your child in your daily |
| says, "It's easy, fun, and makes | | | | activities and routines.There are some other |
| communication a lot less stressful for the | | | | great websites that will help you get |
| whole family! Who wouldn't want that?"I have | | | | started: |
| personal experience working with children | | | | |
| using sign. I started teaching my 2 1/2 year | | | | |
| old signs when he was 5 months old. I am also | | | | |
| currently teaching my 8 month old. I feel it | | | | |
| made a huge difference in my first child's | | | | |
| daily experiences. It fostered communication | | | | are also many programs for purchase which |
| and curbed temper tantrums. The way I see it, | | | | are geared towards children. I recommend |
| the less time and energy a child spends being | | | | Joseph Garcia's SIGN with your BABY Series |
| upset, the more they can spend on | | | | because it uses ASL and it is a great tool to |
| learning!Research has shown that babies who | | | | help you and your family learn some basic |
| sign have faster rate in their development of | | | | signs. This program can be found here: |
| speech and language skills, increased | | | | importantly, as you start out, I recommend |
| intellectual skills and higher self-esteem. A | | | | teaching your child the signs that will be |
| study by Drs. Acredolo and Goodwyn found that | | | | most helpful to you and your child as you go |
| signing children outperformed non-signing | | | | through daily routines. Some useful signs |
| children in comparison, after comparison. | | | | that you may want to start with include, |
| Babies who sign have also been found to be | | | | more, eat, and help. A few others that are |
| able to understand more words, have larger | | | | useful: drink, change (as in diaper) or |
| vocabularies, score higher on IQ tests, and | | | | toilet, sleepy, please, yes, no, stop, and |
| engage in more sophisticated play.Many | | | | all done. Once your child has mastered some |
| experts recommend parents introduce signs, | | | | of these important and functional signs, you |
| while using the verbal label, as early as | | | | may choose to move on to others.Just remember |
| early as possible. The earlier you start the | | | | that signing with your baby or child is a |
| more time you will have to learn the signs | | | | tool to lessen the frustration of being |
| and get accustomed to using them as part of | | | | unable to communicate. Learning and teaching |
| your daily interactions. Ideally, you should | | | | sign should always be a fun and relaxed |
| start exposing your child to signs between 6 | | | | experience for you and your child. Mother, |
| and 10 months of age. Do not feel frustrated | | | | early childhood educator, parent counselor, |
| though if your baby does not sign back to you | | | | and author, Colleen Newman is degreed in |
| until they are at least 8 to 12 months old. | | | | Early Childhood Education and Psychology. She |
| Remember children understand a lot more | | | | spent several years teaching preschoolers |
| (receptive language) before they can | | | | before the birth of her first child. When |
| communicate (expressive language).Learning or | | | | Newman decided to share her love and |
| being exposed to more than one language is | | | | dedication to children, her parent education |
| optimal before a child's second birthday. If | | | | company was born. My Baby and More Parent |
| they are exposed to different languages | | | | Coaching and Educational Services, a |
| during these formative years, they are more | | | | home-based business started by Newman, was |
| likely to reap the benefits in a variety of | | | | created in 2005. My Baby and More provides |
| ways. There has been a great debate as to | | | | parents with the education and support of |
| what program or type of signs a hearing | | | | positive parenting and natural parenting |
| parent should teach their child. Some say use | | | | methods such as breastfeeding, babywearing, |
| the standard American Sign Language, others | | | | and attachment parenting through one-on-one |
| believe that if you make up signs you will | | | | phone, email, in-home and office |
| remember them easier.Personally and | | | | consultations, seminars, and classes. Newman |
| professionally I recommend using American | | | | is also a Breastfeeding Counselor for WIC and |
| Sign Language because ASL is the third most | | | | holds a certificate as a Certified Happiest |
| used language in the United States. Not only | | | | Baby Educator from Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest |
| will you be able to communicate more | | | | Baby Program. Newman loves spending time with |
| efficiently with your child, but you are | | | | her husband, John, while they have fun |
| giving them a leading edge in the real world. | | | | raising their two children, Wes (3) and |
| As an adult, being bilingual makes you a hot | | | | Claire (1). |