![]() Wouldn’t it be great if you could understand your baby before they know how to speak? Babies are amazing, teachable beings who absorb more information than we give them credit for. There is a way to understand basic needs that your baby has by teaching them some baby sign language. It sounds more daunting than it is! Here are some benefits to baby sign language that will help shed some light on why this is a worthwhile task for you and your baby. Teaching baby signs:
In the book, baby sign language basics by Monta Briant, the author describes how her daughter was able to communicate her fear about a sound she was hearing. If Briant hadn’t taught her daughter signs, she would have never known that the sounds coming from the window sounded like scary elephants to her daughter! To tell you the truth, when I read about this in the book I was a little skeptical. But I had seen simple baby signs work with other kids and knew that it was possible and wanted to teach my daughter this skill. It took a few weeks but, after her first sign I was blown away! She absorbed so many aspects of the day that pass me by as common occurrences! I once thought she was randomly waving while we were talking a walk but, I soon heard that she heard a siren and she was signing ‘siren!’ Silly me! There’s never a ‘right time’ or a ‘teaching’ time with signing. Start with common words and it will become easy and effortless for you. Your baby is in a constant state of learning therefore, adding signs won’t be any added stress for them! It does take time so, keep with it! Don’t get discouraged if after a couple of weeks your baby isn’t signing yet. Start with a few simple signs, take for example dog, drink, food, and ‘more’ to begin. You don’t need to sign every word in your sentences but, pick a few key words to help communicate. It will be a huge pay off when you see your child make their first sign! I can guarantee that you will want to learn and teach them more! The long-term benefits for your child are encouraging but if anything, it will amaze you on a daily basis as to how much your baby can tell you with a few simple signs! Happy signing! Enjoy the links below and start signing with your baby today! Click here for 30 sign videos (5 signs per video) to get you started! Want more information about helping your baby sleep? Use my sleep book which has everything you need to know about sleep! Learn more here. Visit the Parent Resources page for sample schedules and more tips to help your kiddo sleep! Or get in touch if you have more questions. Comments are closed.
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