This viral video does an amazing job in spreading awareness of the importance of sign language in all communities.
Just in case you missed it, I was quoted in Parents, one of the largest family and parenting magazines, about a reel that blasted off last week. Twenty-seven-year-old Mara McCullough shared a now viral video of her young baby daughter, Jane, communicating with her deaf grandparents in sign language! The adorable clip, with ten million views and counting, shows Jane locked into a passionate conversation with grandpa and grandma, and it just absolutely melted the hearts of everyone who saw it. What was surprising though was that the majority of viewers were completely caught off-guard at just how articulate the little baby was with her hands. People are finally catching on to the fact that ASL is just as expressive as any other spoken language, and this little recording has done a lot towards raising the status and knowledge of sign language.
Raising the Status of Sign Language
“I feel like there has been a lot of oppression and lack of understanding for the Deaf community and sign language in general…People have always thought it was a lower-tier language when it’s totally not.”
-Mara McCullough on ASL
When people think of sign language, a lot of the times the first feeling they have is pity. That it’s incredibly unfortunate that people are unable to communicate verbally, and it’s almost as if they have to resort to using ALS. This shouldn’t be the case at all! Sign language is a wonderful form of communication on its own, and it isn’t any less of a language than something like English. I think in this case, the viral TikTok has done a lot towards raising the awareness of sign language as just a normal way of communication, and I absolutely love that!
Although the response from the online community was largely positive, it’s a shame that people are still unaware of the wonders of baby sign language. Babies talking with their hands shouldn’t be surprising, nor should we think that ASL is something rare or diminutive. Give it a try, and I assure you that you’ll fall in love with how deep and engaging the language can be. Start signing with friends and family and find out just how expressive your children can be!
Why Wait? Start Signing!
Just like how we know body language and facial expressions contribute a lot towards communication, babies also talk a lot through their body. A lot of the times when children use their hands to talk, many parents and adults don’t seem to comprehend this attempt at communication from their kiddos. Don’t make the same mistake! It’s so important to recognize communication of all forms when your child is developing, and ASL is such an amazing tool for that. Getting your child ahead by practicing baby sign language early on is a big boon, as research has shown a whole host of benefits sign language can have towards child development. Referencing the viral video again, Jane’s grandparents are actually deaf, so they’re ALS pros! It’s incredibly heartwarming to see them so engaged with what their granddaughter has to say through her hands and gestures.
“It’s not just both of them waving their hands at the same time. It’s exactly like verbal babbling but with your hands, with your body. They were communicating. There was a conversation and then a reaction”
-Dr. Etel Leit, in her interview with parents.com
Sign language is just like any other form of communication, and I’m so thankful that this recent viral has been able to spread this message far and wide so that more and more people can begin to learn the joys of signing. Practice with your little ones early on, and I promise they’ll love it!
