Baby Sign Language Blues - Dealing With My Sisters and Cousins Who Say Baby Signing is a Waste of Time!

by Ruthie Graham
(L.A., California)

Hi Babies and Sign Team -

I am a 23 year old mom with a now 13 month old daughter who signs a good 35 words now.

When I started teaching our infant daughter signs at age 5 months old, my sisters and cousins have had only negative words to say, and constantly try to scare me by saying "Tariah won't be able to speak at all and will depend on her hands only!"

And now, at age 13 months, Tariah is talking up a storm already! In addition to the current 35 signs she has under her belt, she is also vocalizing about 15 words VERY CLEARLY!

It blows their mind, especially as their 17 and 20 month olds are only muttering 2 or 3 words, if that. We are so proud of our little girl, especially for proving them wrong!

I think that parents who do this need to make a good strong decision, and just be ready for the nay-sayers.

There are always going to be naysayers and those who uninvitingly pour their opinions on folks who don't need nor ask for their advice and tips!

It could be about nursing (my family also gives me a hard time about breastfeeding), bottle feeding, pacifiers, crying it out, etc etc.

If you are strong about the other methods you've decided to use for your little one, then just add signing to the list!

People fear what they don't know, and for some odd reason they listen to others when the 'others' also have no idea of what they are talking about.

If they don't believe in raising their communication to exponential levels with their little ones - then that's on THEM. Not on us who wisely decide to see inside our babies minds way before the naysayers do.

Sorry to be so unorganized with this, but hopefully your readers will get the gist of what I'm trying to point out.

Thanks so much and THANK YOU for this terrific website on babies (and toddlers) and sign language!

My best,

Ruthie