If you do baby signs, how long until they "got it"

[imimahoney]

I've been doing signs since 4 months and I'm not sure he knows yet, lol. Although he has been doing the more sign lately but that could also be him clapping so who knows!

[vthokie]

We never really used signs, but when she moved up to the big baby room at daycare, they use a bunch of signs in there. It's apparently for fine motor skills, but she definitely will sign milk furiously when she's ready to nurse. I can never REALLY tell if that's because she knows what it means, or because she likes opening and closing her little hand a lot.
She also claps when she's finished eating. I keep telling DH it's almost like she's combining "all done" and "more" I'm pretty sure she just knows she's supposed to do something with her hands when she's done, and clapping is totally fun.

[imimahoney]

Tamb, it's really easy. There are some great websites with tons on info. The big thing is to be consistent and always say the word with the sign. I usually say the word and sign twice.

[vthokie]

I've always been sort of anti-sign, but since they're doing them at daycare, I decided to play along. I usually do "please", "thank you", "milk", "hungry", "more", and "all done" I know a few more, but I'm good if I remember to do any of those. I think it usually takes a while of pretty consistent signing for them to catch on, but I'm not really sure.

[Deleted]

she learned a high five within a day (not a "sign" I know). She learned "more" within a a week or 2 and "all done" maybe a few weeks? I'd like to work on "please" and "thank you" but they seem harder.

I am currently, slowly working on "milk"

She also waved pretty early so I don't know if that helped any.

You should do it! I love seeing her do the signs and knowing I actually taught her something!

ETA: also, knowing "all done" has saved some whining because she uses it often. Yesterday I was trying to rock her to sleep and she started signing all done and looking at me. I ignored it 3 times thinking it was a fluke, then she started fussing. I took her out to play for 30 more minutes then tried again and she went right to sleep. So she was able to tell me she wasn't ready for a nap and was "all done" being rocked. Cutie

[bubbyboo]

i've been doing them with Ava for a month or so and I don't think she's got them yet...but she might be beginning to understand "all done." i love the "baby signing time" dvds... for me! i learn the signs better by watching those lol

[mamasaurus]

I don't know if she gets it. We are adding more signs ever week, but so far she just does "milk," and it's while she's nursing rather than to communicate a desire for milk. I did see her apparently practicing "more" after I did it at lunch today, but she hasn't tried to do it on her own yet.

[jaime183]

we try but its really based on how often you do it at this point. The class we took- the instructor- who signed with her baby from the beginning got a response on his own at 8months. She said if you are consistent most babies will start mimicking around 8 months and signing by 10
I am a slacker and need to be better about it but hope to have him signing back before a year.

[jaime183]

but Luke does understand some signs and gets excited when I do them- he just isn't responding on his own with them yet.

[Deleted]

Also her "more" is a lot like her clapping but she does it while she's eating and looks at the food then looks at me. And her all done is often only with one hand. I have a good video of her doing all done but don't know how to post it. I'll try to figure it out

[devotchka]

Jan 14, 2013 21:55:41 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

I am suddenly interested in doing some, and I wonder how long it will take her to catch on.

this is a good time to start - m doesn't seem to get it yet, and i've been doing it since he was 3 months or so, but he seems really interested at least :/

[thedahliharpa]

Pretty quickly but consistency didn't come right away. We started earlier with D than we did with H. We started w/ H at around this age. We do more, all done, milk, waving and were working on water but that is on hold because we are working on Touchdown for Superbowl. This one is taking longer but I think she may just be trying to frustrate DH. Oh and we do Love but she doesn't get that one yet. Other than water and the above we didn't go any further than that with H.

[devotchka]

Jan 14, 2013 22:00:00 GMT -5 ladybug said:

she learned a high five within a day (not a "sign" I know). She learned "more" within a a week or 2 and "all done" maybe a few weeks? I'd like to work on "please" and "thank you" but they seem harder.

I am currently, slowly working on "milk"

She also waved pretty early so I don't know if that helped any.

You should do it! I love seeing her do the signs and knowing I actually taught her something!

ETA: also, knowing "all done" has saved some whining because she uses it often. Yesterday I was trying to rock her to sleep and she started signing all done and looking at me. I ignored it 3 times thinking it was a fluke, then she started fussing. I took her out to play for 30 more minutes then tried again and she went right to sleep. So she was able to tell me she wasn't ready for a nap and was "all done" being rocked. Cutie

wow, that is amazing!

i do wonder about boys vs. girls w/ communication - verbal and signing. it seems like most of the babies that i know that signed early on and talked early on were girls.

[devotchka]

Jan 14, 2013 22:26:09 GMT -5 jaime183 said:

but Luke does understand some signs and gets excited when I do them- he just isn't responding on his own with them yet.

this for us exactly.

[Deleted]

I have a confession. We did sign language with my nephew. If my sister was burping him between nursing and she made me mad earlier during the day I would sign milk. He would want to eat. She never knew I was signing behind her back and the kid would want to go back to eating. To this day he still gets made if you sign no to him. He is about to turn 9.

[rileym2010]

We started signing with Evan right after Thanksgiving using about 5 signs. He started to understand right away. We have increased to about 10 and he seems to understand them all so may add a few more soon.
I have never personally seen him sign back, but my mom and DH have. My mom was watching him and tried giving him some water with dinner. He kept pushing away the cup and signing "milk". Same with DH.

[Deleted]

Not sure if this will work...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKSGAlDbrwA

[TrudyCampbell]

Ladybug I'm impressed!

I really wanted (or still want) to do baby sign but I'm not sure violet will get it.

[Deleted]

You should! I would sign and say all done at the end of everything, not just food, bath time, nursing, turning the tv off, when anything was empty so she caught on and I think that's why she used it to say "all done rocking to sleep" the other day.

[devotchka]

Jan 14, 2013 23:14:33 GMT -5 ladybug said:

Not sure if this will work...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKSGAlDbrwA

wow!!!

[raynes]

That's awesome ladybug!

I've been thinking about starting this too. Perhaps we'll give it a go!