HALIFAX – Some new parents in Halifax are hoping to communicate with their babies, months before they can speak, by teaching them sign language.
“I’d like to know, is she hungry, is she tired?,” says Erin MacDougall, the mother of a seven-month-old. She brought her daughter to a Baby Sign Language class hoping she’ll pick up a few useful signs. “Just even simple signs like milk, more, done, eat, that’s enough. It would be great,” she says.
The classes held once a week at Nurtured Products for Parenting are the only baby sign language classes currently offered in Halifax.
Instructor Michelle Swinimer says being able to sign reduces toddlers’ frustration.
“Their speech organs might not be sufficiently matured to be able to produce the spoken language, or they might not know the word, so with sign language it gives them the benefit to be able to express themselves and it empowers them,” explains Swinimer.
She says the skills will be helpful after toddlers begin to speak, adding the signs can fill in some gaps in the toddlers’ lexicon, which will help make the terrible twos a little less… terrible.
That’s what Heidi Rushton’s hoping for. She’s starting early: her daughter is only five-months-old.
“She started looking at me and paying attention when I’m doing them, so I don’t know if she’s actually getting anything,” Rushton says. “But, she definitely is interested in different motions and that, so hopefully she will notice the consistency of it and pick up on it.”
Another big benefit for the moms here is the social aspect.
“I just want to expose her to a number of different things and for her socializing is really big,” says Christa Leblanc. “I really want to make sure that she enjoys being around adults and other children”
You can find more information on the baby sign language class by going to Global Maritimes’ Links in the News section.
Want so see how it works? Have a look at this:
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