Here's another what my husband might call a "Hodges Helpful Hint" or a "Triple H". Remember this is just something that worked for us and has been great.
So I read a book called "Baby Signs" with Caroline and it has been so very helpful now w/ all 3. I used to watch friends of mine sign with their babies before I had kids and I was skeptical if it would really work...but I had read that if a baby can learn to wave "bye bye" then they can learn to sign. Also...now here's the brain scratcher...they can start to understand you at 6 months old but don't have the skill yet to verbally answer back. That's why as Hope is sitting in her high chair eating and she begins to blow raspberries w/ her mouth and food is going everywhere and it takes all kinds of self-control on my part to not fall apart in laughter - I can say "No ma'am" - and she gets it. She actually stops. That's why when she is crawling toward an outlet or the fireplace more often than not I can tell her "No ma'am" and she will stop. It truly is amazing how our brains have been created.
One thought I have had all through parenting is that it is my job to yes expect things from my children - however, I need to give them the tools to be able to meet those expectations. So if I don't want a little one to be throwing food - then I have to teach them not to. If I want a little one who doesn't bang on the table with their hands - then I have to teach them how to tap their fingers so they still get the same basic sensory motion out of their systems. If I don't want a little one who screams at meal time, or in the tub, or....insert situation when they want something...then I need to teach them a way to communicate with me what they need.
This has been huge! I am already working w/ Hope on "all done", "more", "please", and "thank you". As she gets older and finds herself needing help...(this is huge when you are in that season where they are walking behind something and don't know how to turn it. Or then can't get things out of where they need it b/c they are stuck) I would teach the sign for "help" that way they could walk right up to me and get my attention and sign for help and take me to where they needed help. I had to give them a voice.
As I figured out what they were interested in as they would get a bit bigger I would learn that sign and teach it to them...so "ball" or "butterfly" etc it has been a huge help. Their frustration and mine lessened as I tried to give them a voice and they embraced it full on.
The studies written about in this book "Baby Signs" also say that the verbal skills of those that use baby sign language is dramatically increased. That's a good thing right?
So...be encouraged. You're little ones want to tell you what they need they just don't know how. So, give them a voice. Also, be encouraged that like me, I might start doing the signs now (she is 9 months old) but I may not see her able to do the signs until closer to 1 year...but go ahead and start they are sponges. Have fun learning to talk with you little one. Hopefully it will set the stage for your interest in things they have to say their whole life.
*pics are of Wyatt and Daddy bowling over Christmas and Hope showing off her new trick of pulling up!
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