This past Friday, Baby Signs, Inc. sent out another free signing poster. This poster featured the sign for "eat". I am sure that this will be a popular poster for parents. Many parents start signing with their children because of frustration: their frustration and their child's frustration. Teaching babies the sign for "eat" along with "drink", "more" and "all done" can really help ease everyone's frustrations. To do the sign for "eat", put your fingers together (on your dominant hand) and tap your mouth with your fingertips. Use this link to download your free poster: https://www.babysigns.com/pdf/Eat_poster.pdf.
As a new instructor several years ago, I remember talking with a friend of mine, who said that he and his wife were teaching their baby to sign. I was happy to hear that until he said that they were only going to teach him the signs for eat, drink, more and all done. He said, "After all, what else does he need to say." I was quite flabbergasted by his statement. As a mom who signed with her own child, I would urge you not to stop at those four signs. It's amazing what your child can tell you if he or she has the tools to do so. Although it was terrific finding out what Emma wanted, it was more incredible finding out what she was observing, what she had learned and what she wanted to talk about, etc. Those moments with her are so precious to me. How else would I know that before the age of 2 that she knew almost all of the animals at the zoo? Or that she was scared of the elephants? Or that she loved watching orangutans? Or that she could hear an airplane flying over our house? Or that she wanted to talk about her Nemo calendar? Or that she needed help (used when the toy she knew made noise wasn't making noise)? There are so many priceless memories like those all made possible by signing.
So definitely, if you are starting to teach your baby to sign, start with the signs for "eat", "drink", "more" and "all done" - just don't stop there. There is so much more your baby wants to share with you.
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