Baby signs

Elimination communication and baby signs were two things which sounded very interesting but I thought I wouldn't do them because the first one I considered for bored people who don't do anything else than watch their babies waiting for a sign he needs to pee/poop and the other one requires a lot of consistency and self-study from parents. Actually, I tried baby signs with him when he was around 7-8 months, but no response + it was quite difficult to sign something to him when he was in the wrap, so he couldn't see what my hands were doing, so I gave up. But lately he has been showing a great interest in broadening his passive vocabulary and copying my hand movements, so it was time to reconsider my attitude to baby signs.

Around the time he turned one, he started to be very interested in picture books, he pointed at a picture, looked at me and waited for me to give the thing a name. I sometimes signed something (made up signs) and I could see he loved it and tried to copy it. I've already said it many times on this blog that I believe in the child's lead in the raising process, so it was time for me to google some signs and start showing them to him. It's so wonderful when he signs something back or when he signs something and it's right. He seems to connect the sign and the word, but he does not always connect it with the real thing, he probably needs much more practise. The only things he signs with perfection are dog, milk (breastmilk) and I want to poop. The dad is teaching him "I want to play/torture the dog." :) Today he figured out how to sign a "bird" - it is challenging for his motor skills to do the same movement as mummy - so everything is a "bird" today :))


I hope to learn/teach him a lot more signs, so I know what he wants...It is wonderful when he climbs in our bed and signs milk or when he is out of his balance, he also signs milk and I know what he wants and can give it to him and it helps to keep the peace in our household...Or when we come home, he signs that he wants to eat, so I give him food and it prevents him from being grumpy...As he grows older, he will have more wishes and baby signs will hopefully help me to understand him better. Another reason why I decided to give it a go is that he has to master 4 languages and that's not easy, with signs he might talk to mummy and daddy even without knowing their mother tongues.