posted on July 23, 2005 07:57:51 PM new
When did this become such a 'fad' or 'trend'?
I've only known about it for a few months now. My daughter has friends that have taught their hearing infants (8 months and up, usually) to use sign language.
So she is going to try to teach Lily.
I think its great, but wouldn't this hinder speaking??
I believe this is a new thing with hearing babies. Its interesting, but not sure I understand all the pros to this. I think I would rather work on speech, as I did with my 2 when they were infants.
posted on July 23, 2005 09:37:36 PM new
Near, That is a great!. My children were taught Sign Language and lip reading. It will open a new world for them. If they are taught lip reading they can learn a lot about people..
posted on July 23, 2005 10:09:02 PM new
fred, I think its great too. Babies can learn so much! All I worry about is speech, if they will be 'late' talkers or what.
I don't know very much about infant signing, but I guess I'll learn!
That is great that your children learned both, and yes, they surely would learn more about people!
I know sign language. I had to learn because my younger sister has brain damage, and one of the things it affected was her speech, so she started to sign over 20 years ago, and we all had to learn it.
This should be a very interesting time, watching and helping her teach the baby!
posted on July 23, 2005 10:25:59 PM new
My step-daughter is an audiologist and her hubby an MD. they have two infants one 19 months and one 4 months and they are teaching signing to the babies.. the 19 month old signs and speaks verbally although I believe his speech was delayed but they disagree. The sign I don't particularly care for is when he gestures for milk.. LOL.. it's like he's milking a cow..
posted on July 24, 2005 06:02:28 AM new
OK, this thread right here is the first I've heard about this, but then I'm not into baby education.
What's the theory behind this?
Are they saying babies cannot speak because of undeveloped vocal capabilities (physically incapable of making words), but they can learn to sign?
I was always under the impressions that babies couldn't speak because they didn't have the mental capabilities to form various complex concepts (not understanding the world enough to connect reality to speech)).
If this is the case, then wouldn't sign language have he same difficulties?
I don't have lots of experience with small children but my nephew of 21 months speaks, at least a little, but can just barely handle crayons with his hands. It would seem that his mental language skills are above his level of precise physical hand control. Again, I'm not expert, but this seems prety typical to me.
I'm not commenting on it one way or the other, but it sounds like a neat "experiment". Any good non-biased links about this?
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on July 24, 2005 06:32:53 AM new
I saw a commercial last night for DVDs for infants, "Baby Einstein", or something like that. It would show a picture of an item and Mary Maitlin(?) would say the word while signing it. Before that, I never heard of such a thing. Neat idea though. Parents would learn signing at the same time.
posted on July 24, 2005 06:41:11 AM new
The only possible value of teaching infants sign language may be some increased interaction between the child and mother. Personally, I would concentrate on verbal communication...repeating sounds rather than signs.
posted on July 24, 2005 10:24:25 AM new
I've heard of it, but fail to see any real benefit to anyone save the egos of the parents.
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Fue por lana y salió trasquilado...
posted on July 24, 2005 06:43:35 PM new
No, my daughter that has the baby is not vegetarian, nope they are definitley red meat eaters but the oldest daughter thinks she is a vegan...... but she eats bacon, sausage and chicken
posted on July 24, 2005 06:46:00 PM new
Man I just thought of something!
I am wondering now, if all these young mothers now that are doing this signing with their babies, because of Meet the Fockers movie. Didn't Robert DeNiros character have his grandson with him, and he signed?? And I think I remember the Baby Einstein being mentioned!
posted on July 24, 2005 08:40:22 PM new
I'll put in my 2 cents here. Our daughter and husband taught their baby sign language--but just for a few basics--Please, Thank you, I'm through eating, and a couple more.
The idea is that before the babies are able to speak, they can communicate with parents and it cuts down on the crying for something they want but can't communicate.
It worked beautifully for them. The little boy is now 3 1/2, speaks English, a lot of Spanish, and a little Japanese from the other grandparents, doesn't use the signing any longer because he doesn't need it.
I'd recommend it, and I'd do it in a heartbeat were I of child-bearing age. I suppose it can be overdone, but I haven't seen that happen.
posted on July 25, 2005 06:04:08 PM new
Roadsmith, I read more on it, and that is what I found, that it does increase the communication with an infant that can't articulate yet what is wrong.
I see nothing wrong in it, in fact, it sounds like a great idea. Now that I've read more about it. I don't think it will hinder speech.
Thats really neat Roadsmith that they used this. So it really isn't 'brand new' if your daughters child is 3 now.
Cool!
(the baby is trying to say mama and dada, and um..... nana Seems to me, IIRC, the kids first words were DaDa, I think. It may be that its easier to say?
posted on July 25, 2005 09:53:04 PM new
I'm glad you're learning more about the sign language for infants. When you think about it, the only means a baby has to communicate for the first 8 or 10 months is by crying.
I can tell you that this little grandson, now 3 1/2, hardly cried at all as a baby, and he is a remarkably well-adjusted child now. As near perfect as he could be, and we have three grandsons so know what we're talking about.
If I had it to do over, I'd do the same thing with my own babies. But that was in the dark ages, LOL, when fathers weren't even in the delivery rooms and I was put out for the birth. I watch the TLC baby show nearly every day and wonder what it was like for me in the delivery rooms, those three times. Did they ask me to push and I did? Total blank. My first memory of each of my three babies is being back in my own room and a nurse coming in with the baby, all spanky clean, pink, and smelling sweet. No instant bonding for us, back then!
posted on July 26, 2005 05:47:19 AM new
well I can tell ya all right now that sign language does NOT work.Way back in 1974,being that I worked shift work,I had to watch my son while Linda was working.I dont like to complain,however it SEEMED everytime I watched him,he would sh*t in his diapers.I can tell you right off the bat,this did not make "classic" happy.As I had him up on the bassinet,cleaning him up and putting powder on him,he would be laying there gigling.I'm standing there thinking
"I suppose you think this is funny" and I quickly looked around to make sure the cat wasnt watching and flipped him the bird.This made him giggle even more,and wouldnt you know it,the very next day when I was watching him he sh*t in his diapers again....evidently he wasnt "getting the message"-so I can tell you from expierence that sign language does not work.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jul 26, 2005 05:51 AM ]
posted on July 26, 2005 08:06:39 AM new
Classy..you crack me up! Thanks.. for the giggle to start my day! Great photos!
Road & Near..as much as I hate to admit it..my stepdaughter's two little ones are the most content babies I have ever seen.. we thought it was just a fluke with the first one but now the second is just as happy and content..so maybe there is something to this signing..I still wish they had thought of something different for the sign they use for wanting milk though.. it's a bit unsettling to see an infant milking a cow.. don't you think.. LOL
posted on July 26, 2005 09:34:25 AM new
thanks magster
I gotta tell ya its unsettling seeing ANYONE milk a cow
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Baseball season has started,but they have it all wrong.3 strikes and you're out,4 balls you walk.I can tell you right now a man with 4 balls could not possibly walk
posted on July 26, 2005 10:21:18 AM new
At least Classic didn't say babysitting. I hate to hear men talk about babysitting their own children.
As usual, my mind went off on the totally wrong tangent - I thought by the title that people were teaching infants sign language so that they would be able to communicate more easily with deaf people as they got older.
Fred - I'm concerned. Are you suggesting that children should learn to read lips so that they can eavesdrop on other's conversations?
posted on July 26, 2005 10:27:22 AM new
cherised, ""At least Classic didn't say babysitting. I hate to hear men talk about babysitting their own children. ""
I have heard that, too, a real pet peeve. As if the father isn't the REAL parent(too often true,however).
Then they whine that women have more "rights" and more than likely get custody of the kids over the father.....and wonder why.
posted on July 26, 2005 10:38:22 AM new
"Fred - I'm concerned. Are you suggesting that children should learn to read lips so that they can eavesdrop on other's conversations?"
posted on July 26, 2005 11:21:03 AM new
classic, "--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" Uh, classic, when it's your own child it's not called
" "watching" because my wife is at work ".
It's called being a parent."
well crow your absolutely correct and I stand corrected "
Very big of you classic. Now if you stop referring to me as crow I'll stop thinking of you as "that goofy poster"
posted on July 26, 2005 02:20:58 PM new
goofy poster LOL-well I've been called worse
NTS-thanks for the compliment yes I believe you did when I posted the pic of me standing in front of Mt St Helens-but I cant recall the name of the post.I think it was you and your ex-hubby sitting on a couch in Texas.
Oh by the way...not that anyone gives a rats ass-but today is the day I got discharge from the U.S.Navy-1966. I had just got back from Vietnam the previous 3 months and was stationed in Alameda near San Fransico.That night I went to see the Rolling Stones at the Cow Palace.The next morning I boarded a train for New York-5 days and 4 nights-why you ask?
well there was a nation-wide airline strike-NO planes were flying-so I had to either take a bus or train home.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jul 26, 2005 02:39 PM ]
posted on July 26, 2005 03:34:00 PM new
classic, I don't remember the thread either. The only one that would know is Helen, but she'll never tell Thats right it was me the EX, and the 2 babies, who are 13 months apart
Wow, so today is like an anniversary for you! I'll bet you were glad to be back in the States! The Rolling Stones! Man, have you seen Mick and the boys today? They are still out there doing concerts!!
I hate taking the bus. I did it two times. Greyhound from Seattle to Gainsville TX and from Dallas to Seattle. Never ever again!
And speaking of a heat wave (weren't we? LOL)
it is currently 84 degrees where I am. And I finally turned on the central air......
HOW DID WE LIVE WITHOUT IT BEFORE???
posted on July 26, 2005 03:49:12 PM new
well it was 101 today-but there was no humidity,so it didnt bother me that much-although we did have the air on.I also had to suffer by going in the pool--life's a b*tch.
We were down at the Baltimore Harbor in early August 2001.It was the same temp,but higher humidity.Our hotel was only 3 blocks from the harbor itself,so it was easy to get there.However my wife being religious wanted to visit the St Judes Shrine in downtown Baltimore which was about a 6 block walk.I am not religious,in fact Im one of those Catholics that only go to church when Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny show up,so you could imagine my expression when she wanted to walk 6 blocks to some foolish shrine in 100 degree heat.Well when I finally dragged my ass into the church,I didnt want to leave because it was air condition.I was in one hell of a predicament-I didnt wanna be there in the first place,but I also didnt want to leave because it was so hot outside.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jul 26, 2005 04:07 PM ]
Seems to me, IIRC, the kids first words were DaDa, I think. It may be that its easier to say? 
