Teaching Your Baby Sign Language

A few years ago, I would have told you that I thought baby signing was just a fad. Why not just teach them how to talk? Doesn’t it delay speech? And then my bundle of colicky joy came along and I would have killed for my baby to sign what he wanted in those crying hours. That’s when I decided that maybe there was something to this whole baby sign language thing.

At around 6 months, I started teaching Logan basic signs – eat, water, milk, more. He caught on quick that all he needed to do was squeeze his little fist for milk. After the colicky newborn months of not knowing how to soothe my baby, I was ecstatic to actually be able to communicate with my child long before he could verbally communicate. It gave me confidence that I lacked as a new mama. Oh, you’re signing cracker? I’m on it kid! Is that the sign for drink? No problemo. Maybe I was cut out for this whole mommy gig after all.

Aside from a newfound confidence, signing has made life with a toddler so much easier. Maybe it’s why I love this age so much. I can, for the most part, understand what my kiddo wants before he melts down into a full blown tantrum (in the middle of the grocery store). Another perk is that signing has cut down on the whining. Instead of pointing and whining, Logan now adamantly signs “please”. In the photo above (excuse the bed head), Logan’s passionately signing “more”"milk” “please” “milk” “please”. Who knew my almost 2 year old would be able to shout at me through sign. It beats the whining though.

Logan is a little sponge when it comes to signing and he will ask, “more” “signing”, when he wants to learn new signs. As for delaying speech, that’s actually a myth and in my experience it has only helped increase word comprehension. I’m so glad I gave signing a chance, I don’t regret it!