I recently met a Grandmother of a newly adopted grandchild. You can recognize a new grandparent from a mile away. They are beaming, excited, and full of pictures and stories! Not too much different than a new mom, though Grandparents do not seem to be as tired!
As I listened to her talk about her grandchildren, and this new little addition to her family, I noticed something, each child she spoke about had his or her very own specific set of attributes. The 9 month old LOVED music and to dance, another a bit older at 6, had a great interest in taking things apart and putting them back together, and even the most recent 3 weeks old had a peaceful personality that was unique to him! It got me thinking about how special and unique every child is. This is one of the main reasons I love communication: it allows you to get to know your child! To bond with them, to support them, and to help meet their individual needs.
While signing is about communicating to your little one, it is ALSO about finding out what your baby is trying to communicate to you! To give your baby tools to express his or her thoughts, feelings, and needs! Yes it makes life simpler, BUT it also makes it sweeter.
Three easy steps to making communication work for you!
Be Intentional: Start by recognizing that you want to know what is going on inside your baby’s brain and heart. When you are interacting with him or her stop, make eye contact, connect. Begin looking to see what clues your baby is giving you about what he or she is thinking. Where are their eyes looking? What are their hands doing? Making eye contact increases the bond between two people and your baby is no exception. Begin now by looking into your baby’s eyes whenever you get the chance.
Recognize the Body: Communication is not just verbal. The entire body is involved! Are your little ones toes curled? Are they pointing at something? Are their arms or legs tense? Every part of the body will provide clues to what is going on inside your baby’s brain and body. These clues may be minor, but they are indicators to let you know your child needs before he or she can communicate them. Telling you if he or she is scared, excited, tired, or stressed. And don’t be afraid of a schedule, this can help rule out issues like being hungry or needing sleep.
Get Others Involved: If you have chosen to use Sign Language as a tool you are in for a treat! One added benefit of sign language is that it can be a special activity between Grandparents or Aunts & Uncles and your baby! In fact having others learn at least a few signs will help your baby pick up signing faster due to the increased consistency! Plus you might be adding to the specific stories Grandma & Grandpa are telling the world while they are getting to know your little one on an individual level.
It takes a village! Why not add a little communication to foster stronger relationships in your family!
Happy Signing!