Understanding Infant Crib Chatter and Other Baby-talk: the Sign of Time

Most parents discover how difficult it is to communicate with their baby. There are days that parents wish that their children were born talking. It would make things so much easier if their baby had the ability to communicate to their parents what they need or want. Or for the crying baby to be able to tell Mom and Dad in baby-talk what was hurting or bothering the infant in the middle of the night when his/her cries for help woke the parents out of a sound sleep.

The problem here is a failure to communicate. There are no baby adult common language communication skills available for the infant or the parents to have a nursery-needs conversation. Learning their baby’s babble parents can improve their interaction with their precious little one. It is such a helpless feeling in holding a crying, fussing, infant, and (they) have no clue what he/she wants or what will bring comfort. The parents’ hope is that with their calming voice and their baby-talk the “we can work it out” message will get through, and the baby will fall back to sleep.

As parents struggle to work with the wordless baby-talk they start learning, they begin learning a second language which is the baby’s first sign of speech though wordless. Parent can pick up clues to the baby’s needs over time. The infant’s baby-talk, gestures or type of cries, offers new signs for communication, thus baby-talk closes the communication gap. As parents learn baby-talk, as parents share more baby-talk, understanding baby-talk becomes happy-talk. Even baby-talk play has meaning with the baby’s smiles and laughter.

This process is long, frustrating and tedious. And waiting for your baby’s first word can seem endless. Your only real hope is that it will be “mama” or “papa”. But there is a better way of establishing baby-parent communication and share-a-language with your baby, so your baby can let you (the parents) know some of his/her needs. Teaching your baby kindersigns can really help open the door.

Recently NBC News aired a video report about Elizabeth, 17-month old toddler, who could read like a 7 year old. Her parents have been reading to her since she was born. This is a very good practice to develop with your baby. But the KEY here is that her parents taught Elizabeth American Sign Language (ASL) with a video for babies.

Teaching the American Sign Language is credited with giving Elizabeth the ability to read her children stories along with her parents. She is able to identify and pronounce words either written in a magazine or on a piece of paper which the NBC Reporter demonstrated on camera. During play time her mother writes words on paper and lets Elizabeth figure them out.

But more importantly, the basic ASL signs for early baby-parent communication can teach the following interactive words that can remove the guess work of what your child wants, and alleviate the baby’s frustration and the parent(s)’ feeling of helplessness:

• Eat ……Cereal…..Cracker…..Banana…..More

• Drink …..Milk……Juice…..Water…..Finished (all done)

• Diaper…..Potty

• Hurt…..Where…..Hot…..Cold

• Mom…..Dad…..Grandma…..Grandpa…..Baby

• Teddy Bear…..Doll…..Dog…..Cat

Your infant/toddler through the use of the American Sign Language (ASL) can learn primary baby-words to communicate his/her baby-talk needs. By signing with these newly learned hand-created words, you (the parent) understanding this baby talking sign-language can eliminate the guess work and frustration of trying to figure out just what your baby wants. This infant communication with ASL or infant-baby signing closes the communication gap and provides results that satisfy both you and your baby.

Studies point out the benefits of learning sign language:

Babies and toddlers have fewer tantrums overall

Babies and toddlers are much happier and have happier parents

Enhances bonding experiences between parents and their child

increases recognition of letters and words

Children have had higher IQs overall compared to non-signing children

Children have more advanced language skills

Promotes a higher Self-Esteem

Adds the Skill of Signing for later in life for both school and in the workplace

So provide your child with the ability to sign their needs at an early age, and eliminate the frustration that can come with the “terrible twos” due to poor communication skills. Develop creative ways through sign language to give your child a healthier and happier self-esteem with word-power that he/she will benefit from throughout his/her lifelong.

At Robert Walsh Kids Clothing we list one of the most successful, widely recognized programs about signing with your baby. It has won numerous National Awards; it’s highly entertaining and energized with music and songs, animated characters, and children signing the words for you and your baby to watch and learn together. Many parents suggest that it is a really FUN activity to do with their baby. So go have fun, and remember a happy baby makes a happy parent which makes for a happy home.

By Robert Walsh

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