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BSL is a GOOD thing!!

Posted : 8/14/2008 4:17:15 PM

No I mean, really.

I knew that would get your attention. Big Smile

I'm talking about Baby Sign Language. Have any other mums here tried it? What signs does your baby know?

And to everyone: what are your thoughts on teaching babies (I mean hearing babies whose speech is not delayed for any reason) simple signs?

William knows some signs. He can do "milk", "hat", "eat", "drink" and "more". There might be more that he has learned at nursery that I am not privy too... he does make very definite gestures with his hands a lot and sometimes I have no idea what he is trying to tell me!

VanMorrison

Posted : 8/14/2008 4:29:29 PM

I'm a huge proponent of ASL and BSL. I learned quite a bit of ASL through classes and work and got my old roomate interested also, then she got her BF interested as well. When we were in a loud environment we would use sign instead of yelling.

Now they take care of my godson for me Big Smile and they taught him BSL. He uses it a lot and makes up signs for things that he hasn't learned yet. It turned out that he has a speach delay for some reason and the BSL has become a requirement since he is 3 now.

I love that I am able to understand him and he is learning to act out, use gestures and facial expression to communicate. It's totally cool!

Chuffy

Posted : 8/14/2008 4:41:48 PM

I only found out about Wills signing "milk" very recently. For ages I thought he was waving when he was doing it and I would ask him what he was waving at! (The sign is opening and closing the hand... think "milk a cow", so it looks a bit like waving altho he usually waves his hand back and forth when waving). Stoopid Mummy! duh!

mrstjohnson

Posted : 8/14/2008 8:56:28 PM

I tried with Riley because I read some really good things about it, but she didn't seem interested. Plus it was hard for me to keep at it since I am not home with her during the day (DH is). He said he was trying, but for some reason I don't think it was as adament as I would have like it to be.

stardog85

Posted : 8/14/2008 11:36:27 PM

My best friend taught her son BSL and swore it really helped prevent crying and frustrating moments as he was able to communicate what he needed/wanted specifically. I just thought it was cool! He's a happy and healthy 3.5yo now - no delays or anything.

janet_rose

Posted : 8/15/2008 9:58:02 AM

I haven't done it (no babies ;), but from the reading I have done I think that teaching baby sign language is fantastic. Pre-verbal children are capable of so much more communication than people generally give them credit for.

I read about one child that was signing "bird horse". Her father was a little confused at first, but then he saw that she was pointing at a Pegasus. The child had made her own "compound word".

Goodwyn, Susan & Acredolo, Linda, Baby Signs Complete Starter Kit: Everything You Need to Get Started Signing With Your Baby, 2006
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Signs-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/1933877006/

"Board Books" associated with the above kit
http://tinyurl.com/6gfulc

aDorkable

Posted : 8/15/2008 11:24:13 AM

I have a friend who did this with her first son, adopted from Korea. She said it helped to ease his frustration at them not understanding what he wanted.It worked well, even if he did make up his own signs sometimes. I don't know if they're doing it with their second son (also adopted from Korea), but I would imagine that they are because of how much it helped Jack.

rwbeagles

Posted : 8/15/2008 3:05:23 PM

Maybe I should have taught Lily..maybe she wouldn't now...talk ENDLESSLY. Tongue Tied Zip it!

Chuffy

Posted : 8/15/2008 3:49:05 PM

Generally, signing babies grow up to have a richer vocabulary than non signing babies. So maybe you should be thankful you DIDN'T teach her?! Stick out tongue

rwbeagles

Posted : 8/15/2008 5:56:54 PM

gawd yes, it was bad enough having her use words like "predicament" and "inappropriate" at age 5...LMBO.